


Finding Peace

by lasairfhiona, sharpiesgal (TigerLily)



Series: Clint/Tony/Steve saga [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Anger Management, Emotional triggers, Kidnapping, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape/Non-con Elements, Self-Harm, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-20
Updated: 2013-11-20
Packaged: 2018-01-02 03:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1051984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasairfhiona/pseuds/lasairfhiona, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigerLily/pseuds/sharpiesgal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A kidnapping brings couples together as Tony Stark and Pepper Potts recover from their ordeal with the help of their lovers, but hardships ensue as old wounds are reopened and past traumas are revisited.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Peace

Rex Fairfield was quickly taken in custody and Jasper Sitwell was handling his detention and transport back to SHIELD headquarters while Phil and Natasha went in search of Tony and Pepper. Judging from the comments Fairfield had made as they detained him, what they were going to find wasn't something Tony and Pepper would want anyone else to see.

Taking the stairs down to the basement of the building, they quietly pointed to the doors just in case there were anymore guards. After clearing the first room, they found Pepper in the second room. Natasha saw Phil's clenched fists when he saw Pepper and the condition she was in. She knew he'd taken note of her lack of clothes and the blood drying on her skin. "Go find Tony. I'll get Pepper," she suggested. There was one thing about Phil she'd learned over the years and that was he could be as old fashioned as Captain America when it came to how people treated women and the fact Pepper was his girlfriend made it even worse.

She watched as he nodded and with one last look toward Pepper headed off to check the other rooms for their missing billionaire. 

Natasha slipped into the room. She moved quietly, but made sure she made enough noise as to not scare the other woman. "Pepper?"

"Natalie?" Pepper still had a hard time calling her anything but the name she'd used for so long.

"Yeah, let me get you a blanket and get you out of here," Natasha said as she shook out one of the warming sheets that runners used after marathons and draped it over Pepper's body first before she grabbed the blanket that was laying nearby.

"Tony?"

"Coulson's gone to get him."

"Phil's here?" 

"Yeah. Do you want me to get him?" 

"No. I don't want him to..."

"Too late," Natasha said letting Pepper know Phil had already seen her. "Are you okay?"

"Not really."

Natasha could guess what had happened and how Fairfield had controlled Tony. Wrapping the blanket around Pepper she led her out of the room and toward the second Quintjet that was just for them.

She focused on getting Pepper settled and stabilized while Phil was taking care of Tony.

*&*

A large hand gently settling unto his shoulder caused Tony to jerk away and moan in pain. He had vowed early on that he would remain quiet and not grant Fairfield any pleasure by voicing his pain, but that had been in vain.

He dropped his head to his chest causing the blindfold to shift as he resigned himself to another round of torture.

He heard a rustle of clothing and a voice he thought he would never hear again.

“Stark,” Phil softly spoke near Tony’s ear.

“Agent?” Tony asked feeling incredulous and meek. He didn’t care because it was nice to hear the voice of somebody other than Fairfield and his minions.

“I got you,” Phil quietly reassured Tony as he cut the ropes holding Tony to the chair.

Tony slumped forward resting his forehead on Phil’s shoulder. He felt the scratchy material of military fatigues and he couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. “You stepping out on the suit,” he quipped.

“It’ll understand,” Phil countered with a dry chuckle. “Now, I need you to keep your eyes closed while I remove the blindfold.”

“Okay,” Tony agreed. It had been days since the blindfold had been secured over his eyes, so he knew that he may have become sensitive to light. “But, answer something for me first.”

Instead of answering, Phil took Tony’s right hand and placed it on the arc reactor. He smiled when he heard Tony’s soft sigh of relief. “They were either too stupid or too smart to try and remove it.”

“They would have gotten a rather nasty surprise if they had,” Tony raised his head and replied with a determined note in his voice.

“You’ve got it rigged to explode, don’t you?”

“Now, you know all my secrets.”

“Not all of them,” Phil reassured Tony. “Are you ready?”

“Let her rip.”

Phil removed the blindfold. “Slowly open your eyes.”

Tony did as Phil bid, but promptly shut them when the dim overhead light proved to be too much. “Fuck that hurt,” he groaned and dropped his head onto Phil’s shoulder again.

“Light sensitive,” Phil calmly observed.

“Really? You don’t say.”

“Stow the sarcasm and put these on,” Phil countered pushing a pair of sunglasses into Tony’s hand.

Tony fumbled with the sunglasses, but eventually managed to get them on. He slowly opened his eyes and was relieved not to feel daggers of pain slice through his already aching head from the light in the room. “Pepper?”

“Natasha is with her and they are headed to the Helicarrier.”

“Thank God,” Tony whispered. “How did you find us?”

“Pepper’s tracker.”

“She’ll thank you one day.”

“And you?”

“Thank you, Phil.”

“You’re welcome, Tony.”

“So you get Fairfield?”

“Yes.”

“He’s mine when you’re done pumping him for information,” Tony declared quietly as he let Phil help him to his feet. He was going to repay the bastard for kidnapping him and Pepper, but mainly for hurting Pepper.

“But of course,” Phil firmly agreed. He knew Tony could be a ruthless son of a bitch when somebody he cared deeply about was harmed on his watch. He almost felt sorry for Fairfield. Almost. 

*&*

On the ride back to base, he'd watched as Tony comforted Pepper, holding her whispering apologies over and over into her dirt streaked hair. He'd stood back when medical took her away for an exam. He'd stayed with Tony while medical went over him and gently debriefed him while the details were still fresh. He stood back while Tasha talked to Pepper. And he'd stayed out when Tony went to visit her, knowing that Stark needed to see his long time friend and yet again make sure she was okay.

He did all of those things for the greater good when all he wanted to do was take her away and protect her himself.  
When everyone had finally gone home and the halls of medical were quiet and dimmed for the night, Phil made his way to her room. Standing in the doorway, he watched her and she twitched in her sleep, when she cried out he was at her side before he realized he had moved.

"Shhhh..." he whispered over and over stroking her hair noting she'd had a shower from the scent of vanilla. 

When she stopped crying, she struggled out of his embrace and over to the edge of the bed furthest from him until she realized who he was.

"Phil?"

"Hey," he said as he reached a hand out for her to take if she wanted to. 

She didn't say a word she just curled into his arms and cried again. When her tears subsided, she looked up at him and tried to smile. "You aren't asking me what happened. Everyone else did."

"I've read the reports. If you don't want to tell me you don't have to."

"And if I do?"

"Then I'll listen to anything you want to tell me," he told her dropping a kiss on her head.

She stayed curled against his chest, not looking him in the eye, as she began to speak. "He wanted to get to Tony so he used me. At first he just beat me. He punched me, he smacked me. When he couldn't get Tony to break he ripped my clothes off," she stopped talking, her breath hitching. 

"You don't have to go on," Phil said as he held her kissing her head and caressing her arm before lacing his fingers with hers.

"Yes I do," she said squeezing his hand.

"Take your time," Phil told her as he soothed her. She was too strong for her own good sometimes. He watched as she shifted positions so she could rest her head against his shoulder, taking pressure off her bruised ribs.

"Tony had tried his best to stay quiet but when they ripped my clothes off..." she paused and took a deep breath before continuing with a death grip on Phil's hand.”You should have heard him. He was swearing like a sailor," she said trying to laugh but it came out as a sob, "To hear him screaming, begging for that bastard to rape him instead..." she went quiet with a sob, "Oh god, Phil, he begged to be raped so they would leave me alone. And they did."

Phil held her as she broke down again and sobbed in his arms. Now, he understood what Tony wouldn't tell them. He needed to talk to Clint to tell Clint what happened to Tony. He knew that Clint knew about Tony's past and he knew Clint would know how to help Tony get past the self destruction he was sure to come.

He held Pepper until she fell asleep in his arms and even took a nap himself, letting her presence soothe him as well while he collected his thoughts and made plans. When he could move away from her without her whimpering, he slipped from her bed.

*&*

Tony signed himself out of SHIELD Medical against Dr. Warner’s wishes, but he needed to get the hell away from there before he shattered into a million pieces.

He quietly boarded the Quintjet back to the Tower with sunglasses firmly in place ignoring Steve who felt the need to be his babysitter and promptly fell into a light doze to keep from talking to him. He wasn’t ready to talk about what Fairfield had done to him and Pepper. He doubted if he would ever be ready since it had taken a lot for Clint to finally get him to talk about Afghanistan.

The flight to the Tower was a short one and when Tony stepped into the penthouse suite from the elevator he did so with a tiny sigh of relief. A sound he knew Steve heard with his enhanced hearing, but something the other man refrained from mentioning.

Tony walked over to the bar tossed his sunglasses onto it before going around it and pouring himself a rather large drink from Clint’s last batch of sun tea.

“You can’t drink while you’re on painkillers,” Steve admonished.

Tony rolled his eyes. He fished the bottle of painkillers Warner had given him out of his shirt pocket and tossed them to Steve. “Here,” he said. “You keep them.” He took a sip of his drink before wandering over to the couch and plopping himself down on it. 

Steve pocketed the bottle of pills knowing Tony would ask for them sooner or later. He walked over to the bar and pulled a bottle of water from the small fridge. He uncapped it and took a large sip before stating, “You’re impossible.”

“Thank you,” Tony replied sarcastically and then finished his drink setting his glass on the coffee table.

“I didn’t mean it as a compliment.”

“I didn’t assume you did,” Tony countered with a smirk. “Hey, J?”

“Welcome home, sir,” the AI intoned.

“It is good to be back,” Tony replied. “Anything pressing on the calendar today?”

“No, sir,” Jarvis replied. “It appears to be a free day.”

“Excellent.” Tony quickly stood up and clapped his hands together ignoring the pain the action caused to shoot through his body. “Let’s get the lab up and going shall we.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” Jarvis said. “I can not fulfill that request.”

“Why the hell not?!”

“You stipulated after the last time you were injured in battle that you were not to be allowed in your lab if you were on painkillers since they impaired your judgment.”

“I know I must have put a loophole in there somewhere,” Tony grumbled. “And for the record, I’m not taking any painkillers.”

“According to your current medical file, you have been prescribed vicodin by Dr. Warner,” Jarvis countered. “Since this is a known narcotic, I am unable to open the lab to you.”

“Fuck!”

“You can’t go hide in your lab, Tony,” Steve said breaking into the strained conversation.

“You’re still here?” Tony snapped. He had hoped Steve had left, but apparently his streak of bad luck was continuing. He needed to be alone in order to get his head back on straight because even though Pepper had Phil she would need him to be strong for her as well.

“I’m not going to leave you alone.”

"You do realize I am an adult and do not need a babysitter?"

"Drinking while on painkillers is evidence to the contrary," Steve said as he followed Tony through the penthouse.

“For your information, that wasn’t scotch that I just finished but tea,” Tony snarled as he turned to face Steve outside their bedroom door.

“Be that as it may,” Steve said keeping his voice calm and even. “I’m still not going to leave you alone.”

“I don’t need the suicide watch. I’m not going to do anything that stupid.”

“I know. I just want to help.”

Tony muttered obscenities under his breath as he entered the room and grabbed his discarded tablet from the nightstand. He threw himself on the bed ignoring the pain from his injuries and began hacking his own security system.

Steve followed him into the bedroom putting out of his mind all the good times he had in the room with Tony and Clint. He found Tony sitting cross-legged on the bed fooling around with one of his tablets. “Give me the tablet Tony,” he softly ordered.

“Fuck off,” Tony snarled and continued trying to hack his way into his lab.

“You need to rest,” Steve calmly stated unfazed by Tony’s viscous temper. He had been on the receiving end of it more than once, so like the rest of the Avengers had become immune to it.

“I don’t need to do anything, but what I want to do,” Tony growled tightening his grip on the tablet. “And, so help me God; if you say another word about anything I will fucking shoot you.”

“What if I were to mention that you did program in a loophole into your instructions to JARVIS?” Steve countered.

“And that is?”

“You can be in the lab, but only if you agree to be supervised.”

Tony tossed aside the tablet and dropped his aching head into his hands with a groan. Of course, he would do something so responsible.

“Tony?”

Tony sighed and looked up. “Why would I do that?”

“You made a promise to Clint.”

Tony hung his head again. He remembered the fight he had with Clint over his hiding in the lab when he was injured. It almost had caused them to break up. “Does he know?” he asked.

“Sitwell pulled him off his op, so he should be here in about twelve hours,” Steve answered.

“Okay then,” Tony said after several minutes of awkward silence. He pushed himself to his feet. “I’m going to get cleaned up.”

“Okay,” Steve agreed. “Would you like me to fix you something to eat?”

“Sure,” Tony answered, anything to get Steve out of his hair for a few minutes. He shuffled toward the bathroom and closed the door. He slid down the door and buried his head in his arms to muffle the sobs that he could no longer contain.

Steve walked over to the bathroom door and rested his head against it. His heart ached for Tony as he listened to the muffled sobs. He was desperate to do anything for Tony, but fearing it would not be enough to help save his lover from his demons.

*&*

Steve returned to the bedroom with a plate of sandwiches and a glass of milk. He set them on the dresser and walked over to the bathroom door. He raised his hand to knock, but when he heard a loud crash he forced his way in to discover that Tony had broken the mirror over the sink.

Seeing his lover break things because he hurt caused something deep inside Steve to twist into a painful knot. It made breathing difficult, but he would bear the pain so he could find a way to help Tony fight his way back from the edge.

Tony held onto his anger seeing Steve’s need to help an annoying distraction. He knew how to fix himself, and he would be damned if he broke down in front of Captain fucking America.

Steve caught hold of Tony as the billionaire tried to push his way past him. He pulled him close and said, “You’re hurting, Tony. Let me help.”

“Let go of me, Steve,” Tony deeply growled his anger making him able to break out of Steve’s embrace. “I don’t need help fixing me.”

“But?”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve been tortured or the first time I’ve been raped,” Tony coldly pointed out.

“Jesus, Tony.”

“No,” Tony snapped. “You don’t get to feel sorry for me.”

“I don’t...”

“Steve, just leave me the fuck alone,” Tony said stopping the flow of words from Steve’s mouth. He brushed past the stunned man and headed for the one room in the Tower that Jarvis couldn’t keep him out of since he rarely if ever entered it.

His office would become his sanctuary.

*&*

Phil walked away from interrogation. He couldn't listen to anymore. Fairfield’s boss was going to pay dearly for what he had ordered and Phil was going to personally deliver that lesson.

He walked back to his office trying to figure out a way to tell Clint what happened when he got back to the Helicarrier. He knew the archer wasn't going to take the news well and he really didn't blame him. He still wasn't taking it well and he had more time to deal with it.

"Agent Barton is waiting in your office," his secretary told him as he walked past.

"Clint," Phil greeted as he walked in.

"What the hell is going on Phil? Why did I get plucked out of a dark op and replaced?" Clint demanded as he stood in front of Phil's desk.

"Sit," Phil instructed as he pulled off his suit coat and rolled up his sleeves.

"Phil?"

Phil opted not to sit behind his desk; instead he took the other comfortable chair opposite Clint. Taking a deep breath, he told Clint, "Tony and Pepper were kidnapped."

"What the hell? When?" Clint interrupted.

"Four days ago." Phil held up his hand to stop the flurry of questions he knew was about to come. "We got them back two days ago thanks to Pepper's tracker." Phil went on to give Clint the breakdown of Tony and Pepper’s kidnapping and their recovery in the barest details. 

He knew after he gave Clint all the details, his friend would want to read all the reports but he had to be the one to tell Clint everything. He owed him that after all their years of friendship.

"What aren't you telling me?" Clint asked knowing the other shoe hadn't dropped yet, he could tell just by Phil's demeanour that there was more and he probably wasn't going to like it.

"Pepper was raped," Phil stated swallowing hard.

"Damn," Clint said quietly. "Is she okay? Are you okay?"

Clint was one of few who knew about his relationship with Pepper. "She's a little worse for wear but we'll be fine," he answered. She would be fine he was already seeing the strength she was known for coming back.

"If there is anything I can do..." Clint offered. Phil was one friend he would do anything for.

"Thank you," Phil acknowledged then sighed.

"What else?" Clint asked afraid of what the answer would be.

"Pepper wasn't the only one raped," Phil said quietly, knowing Clint would put two and two together.

Clint stood, tipping the chair over backwards. "Where is he? I'm going to kill that bastard."

Phil stood and faced Clint. "We'll get our chance with Fairfield."

“Rex Fairfield?” Clint snarled.

Phil nodded. Fairfield had been on SHIELD’s radar as well as several of the alphabet agencies as a possible terrorist. The bastard had even eluded Clint when he had been sent after him.

Now, it was a different story. Now, it was personal.

Picking up the chair, Clint looked at Phil with a deadly glare. "I want him dead Phil."

"I know you do, and I have spoken with Fury and Fairfield is officially off the radar of any agency. He's ours to deal with. The question is do we do it now, or do we wait?"

"Now. So when I go home I can stay home and not have to worry about explaining absences."

"Understood."

Clint sighed and finally asked the question he should have asked first, "So how is Tony?"

"You know Tony. Not talking and more worried about Pepper."

"Does he know about the two of you?"

"I'm sure he suspects, but not specifically," Phil answered.

"Might be time to come clean about that."

"I know," Phil admitted knowing Clint was right.

"Sooner rather than later Phil," Clint suggested.

"I know..."

"So... What do you have planned?" Clint asked changing the subject.

"Let's go get coffee," Phil suggested grabbing his car keys. This was not a conversation to be had where it could be overheard or monitored. 

*&*

Phil walked into the room where Clint had Fairfield tied to a chair. They had gone over every detail several times so they knew exactly what would be done and how it would be cleaned up. They were experts in what they did and it wouldn't be the first time they had arranged the disappearance of someone for SHIELD but this time it wasn't for SHIELD and while he was sure Fury would back them he didn't want what they were about to do to come back and bite any of them in the ass.

"You can't detain me like this. I know my rights," Fairfield complained figuring that Phil's suit meant that he was important and the one in power.

"You have no rights," Phil said looking over into the darkened corner where he knew Clint was standing.

"Bullshit, people know I was captured."

"No, they don’t because SHIELD unlike the CIA isn’t in the habit of informing everybody about the terrorists we’ve captured and neutralized so in a few days a body burned beyond recognition will be found. We might be generous and leave a few items to help in the recognition process, but otherwise you’ll be dead and the world will be a better place for it.”

"You can't do that."

"Watch us," Clint said coming out from the corner.

“Barton?”

“You screwed the pooch this time, Rex,” Clint drawled. “You should have never messed with what is mine.”

“Which one?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Clint replied. “It’s time to pay up, asshole.” 

Phil stepped forward and smacked Fairfield across the face flat handed. “Does it make you feel like more of a man to beat a woman?" Every word was punctuated with an increasingly harder blow across Fairfield's face.

"Bitch thought she was all high and mighty until I taught her a lesson," Fairfield taunted.

Phil growled and turned to Clint. "String him up," he instructed. And watched as Clint got Fairfield to his feet and attached the hook hanging above them to the hand cuffs before taking up the slack and Fairfield was left standing on the balls of his feet.

Phil ignored the taunts Fairfield continued to spew as he used an old prison trick of a bar of soap in a sock to warm up with, making sure to hit every angle of Fairfield's chest before starting on his legs and back. When he'd covered Fairfield's body with blows, Phil dropped his improvised weapon and reached into his pocket. He watched with a feral grin as Fairfield's eyes widened when he flicked open his pocket knife.

Starting at the bottom, Phil sliced open each pant leg and then cut the waistband allowing his pants to fall in a crumpled heap. Next was Fairfield's underwear then shirt. Leaving him hanging naked and exposed to what was to come next.

Phil ignored Fairfield's protests as he walked over to pick up the riding crop from where Clint had items laid out on a table. He repeated the pattern of beatings across Fairfield's body again ignoring the cries of pain as the whip left red welts everywhere it struck. "Did you heed Miss Potts' cries to stop when you beat her?" Phil asked coldly. "I didn't think so," he added when Fairfield cried, "no."

The last blows Phil landed on Fairfield's body were across his cock. He felt no sympathy for the pathetic cries of pain as the mercenary tried to curl into himself but found it impossible due to his position.

Setting the crop aside, Phil pulled his knife again and laid the edge of the knife next to Fairfield's cock, tipping the edge just enough to draw a line of blood on either side. Lifting Fairfield's cock with his knife, he bounced the flesh on the flat edge a few times. "I really should just cut it off for what you did to Miss Potts but I promised my friend here his turn," Phil said as he flipped Fairfield's limp dick aside sliced down Fairfield's groin coming close to but not touching Fairfield's cock and balls.

Wiping the blood off on Fairfield's leg, Phil dropped the knife into the pile of clothes and turned to Clint, "Your turn and don't forget to take the trash out when you're done." With that said, Phil turned and walked out leaving Clint to finish. It was time to see to Pepper and take care of her; he could leave that piece of trash in Clint's hands. There was so much more he'd wanted to do but Pepper was his priority now.

Clint watched as Phil walked out of the room before turning to Fairfield. Walking up to the man who caused not only his lover harm but harmed a wonderful woman who also happened to be important to a man he trusted with his life. He looked Fairfield up and down. "What should I do with you?" He questioned more to himself than actually asking Fairfield. "And no, letting you go is not an option."

Fairfield whimpered as Clint turned from him and looked back to the table with various instruments laid out on it, including a wide array of knives.

Picking up the riding crop Phil had used Clint turned back to Fairfield and watched as the mercenary pale. "Afraid of this are you?" Clint asked as he landed a blow across Fairfield's groin. "I won't be as nice as my friend," Clint said as another blow landed on Fairfield's legs. 

Just as Phil had done, he ignored Fairfield's cries as he picked up speed landing blow after blow centred on Fairfield's groin and legs and the mercenary's skin was red and starting to split. When he was done whipping Fairfield, Clint dropped the crop on the floor with the other things and walked over to the table and looked over the assortment of knives. Choosing a long, very sharp filleting knife he walked back to Fairfield and grinned ferally as he held the knife up to the mercenary. 

"As you may have guessed, I am not as nice as my friend," Clint stated as he proceeded to lay the knife against Fairfield's ribs and make long cuts an inch apart. He knew all about the endorphins that were running through Fairfield's body with each slice and the pain that followed. When he was finished marking the right side, he set the knife down.

"You know what they say about karma coming back on you tenfold. Consider this your payback for what you did to Mr. Stark and Miss. Potts." With that said, Clint reached for the broom. Breaking the handle over his knee until it was the appropriate length; he walked around behind Fairfield, grabbed his ass and without warning shoved the broom handle up his ass. Pulling it out and repeating the action several times before leaving the broom handle stuck in his ass and walking around to face the mercenary. 

Clint picked the knife back up and continued returned to cutting long cuts along the left side of Fairfield's ribs. The blood flowed from both sides and he could see Fairfield starting to sag and weaken from blood loss. When Fairfield's ribs were nothing but bloody lines he added a few more cuts to the underside of the mercenary's arms, causing Fairfield to sag in the handcuffs even further.

Dropping the knife on the pile, he walked over to the table and picked up one last knife. "You will never hurt another person again," Clint declared as he rammed the knife in Fairfield's heart and pulled it out again. That knife was added to the pile on the floor.

While Fairfield bled out, Clint packed up the unused knives and put them in a bag to be returned to his and Coulson's collection. When he was sure the mercenary was dead, he released his body and let it crumble to the pile on the floor. Wrapping up the body in the plastic tarp, he carried it to the incinerator and dumped everything into it. He watched through the window as the body, clothing, and everything else burned into nothing more than a pile of ashes and twisted metal from the knives. 

It was done. Now, like Coulson had, he was going back to take care of Tony.

*&*

Phil found Pepper was sitting on the sofa wrapped up in an old quilt his grandmother made for him before she died watching something on the History Channel. 

"Your meeting go okay?" She asked having been told that he had a late meeting to attend with several other handlers.

"Yes, Clint is finishing up for me so I could come home," Phil answered as he walked through to the bedroom. 

He stripped his suit off and dropped it into the garbage bin, thankful he wore one of his oldest suits so he wouldn't have to dispose of a good suit.

"Phil, what's going on? What did you do?" Pepper asked since she had followed him and now watched him undress.

"What I had to," he answered heading for the shower when the last off his clothes hit the trash bin. 

He stood under the hot water as long as he possibly could knowing full well that when he came out Pepper would want answers. Answers he wasn't sure he could or wanted to give her, but he knew he'd have to be honest with her. She's would never forgive him if he lied to her.

Wrapping the towel around his waist he grabbed another to rub over his head and down his arms as he walked back into the bedroom. Pepper hadn't moved from her seat on the edge of the bed.

"Did you kill him?" She asked point blank.

Phil dropped the one towel and sat down next to her on the bed. Taking her hand he looked at her and said, "I can honestly tell you he was alive when I left."

"Is Clint going to kill him?" 

Sighing, Phil gave her hand a squeeze. "Probably."

"I hate..." 

"It was either we do it or Tony was going to do it. We thought it was better if we did it," he said interrupting her.

"Good. I'm glad Tony wasn't involved."

"I wouldn't do that to him," Phil said as he wrapped an arm around Pepper.

"I know you wouldn't. I still hate that you and Clint did it," Pepper said resting her had on his shoulder.

"I know you do, but he would have never stopped coming for Tony and he would have hurt too many people and possibly you again in trying to get to him. I couldn't allow that to happen," Phil admitted. "Let's get comfortable," he added slipping from her embrace and standing to throw back the bedding.

Phil settled against the pillows and held his hand out to Pepper to join him. When she did, he tucked her head against his chest and held her, gently caressing her back as she got comfortable. Pulling the covers up over both of them, he whispered words of love to her until he felt her drift off to sleep. Like Tony, he would do anything to keep her safe and if that meant killing, he would do it.

*&*

Clint silently entered the penthouse having asked Jarvis not to announce his arrival. He needed to get cleaned up before he went and found Steve so that they could take care of Tony. He paused in his journey when he spotted his other lover standing in front of the ceiling to floor windows looking lost in thought.

He walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Steve?”

“I screwed up,” Steve murmured answering Clint’s unasked question.

“I would ask how, but Tony is a handful when he’s happy, so I can guess he acted like a royal asshole when you tried to comfort him.”

“I tried to keep him from withdrawing into himself by not letting him out of my sight. He got pissed off and told me that it wasn’t the first time he had been tortured nor the first time he had been raped,” Steve explained. “Told me I wasn’t allowed to feel sorry for him. What the hell happened in Afghanistan?”

“That’s Tony story to tell, but I can tell you what is common knowledge,” Clint replied. Tony had sworn him to secrecy once he revealed what he had to endure as a hostage of the Ten Rings.

“Something other than building an arc reactor from scraps.”

“Um yeah,” Clint murmured. “His captors wanted him to build weapons for them, so they tortured him when he refused. He eventually gave in when they threatened to torture the man who had saved his life.”

“Jesus,” Steve softly swore. “But did they?”

“No, they didn’t,” Clint quickly replied. “Tony was very promiscuous when he was younger and as cliché as this will sound, fell in with a bad crowd. It took Rhodey knocking some sense into his head before he realized the dangerous path he was treading on.”

“So during that time?”

“Yes, he was repeatedly raped.”

Steve shook his head. When he first met Tony he wanted to wring his neck for being an arrogant prick, but the more he got to know the other man the more impressed he became with him for surviving so much in such a short span of time.

“Horrible experiences, but they made Tony the man he is,” Clint said voicing what Steve had been thinking.

Steve nodded. “All we have to do now is dig him out of his current hiding place.”

“Which is?”

“His office.”

“His office?” Clint found that he was amused by this revelation because he knew how much Tony loathed being in that particular room. He only went in when he had a conference call to make or when Pepper forced him to work on SI business. “How did you manage to keep him out of the lab?”

“After your last argument, Tony set up a protocol for Jarvis to follow if or when Tony was injured again, which keeps him out of the lab unless supervised. He didn’t like my company, so he ran off and hid in the only place Jarvis wouldn’t think to keep him out of.”

“And, let me guess,” Clint said still trying to keep his amusement at bay. “Me and Pepper are the only ones with the access code.”

“Yes,” Steve sighed. “So you see I did screw up.”

Clint pulled Steve into a warm embrace. “No, you did the best you could,” he told the blond. “Let me go get cleaned up and we’ll go take care of Tony together.”

Steve buried his nose in the curve of Clint’s neck searching for the familiar scent that immediately anchored him like nothing else, and instead caught a whiff of fire and blood. He pulled back and studied Clint’s face.

“What?” Clint inquired finding Steve’s unwavering gaze off-putting and just this side of creepy.

“Nothing,” Steve replied after a bit. He shook his head hoping to clear it of the memories of nights spent with the Howling Commandos as they chased HYDRA and the Red Skull across Europe.

“It’s not nothing when you look at me like that,” Clint countered hoping he sounded soothing. He didn’t need another lover going to pieces on him.

“I thought I got a whiff of something that reminded me of the war, so I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“No worries. I just got off a mission and didn’t bother to stop and get cleaned up at HQ because I was worried about you and Tony.”

“Understandable.”

“So you want to shower with me?”

“Just to shower?”

“What do you think?”

“I forget you use sex as stress relief.”

“It’s a useful tool for that, yes,” Clint agreed. “But, I’ve missed my guys, and I know it’s been a stressful couple of days for you. Tony will understand, and we need to present him with a united front.”

“Alright,” Steve finally relented. Clint made a good argument. “Just be careful. Tony busted the mirror.”

Clint nodded. He had a feeling it was going to be a long, dark road back to what they had before the kidnapping, and for a brief moment he wished he had had kept Fairchild alive longer so he could extract more revenge from the bastard.

Steve caught hold of Clint’s hand leading him toward their room and his long overdue shower.

*&*

Clint stripped once he hit the bedroom letting his clothes fall on the floor. He would throw them away later, but right now he had more pressing matters to take care of.

He carefully made his way into the bathroom mindful of Steve's warning about Tony breaking the mirror. He wasn't surprised that Tony had done so since he knew Tony's self-loathing was deeper ingrained than his, but for once he had hoped Tony would refrain himself from such petty destruction.

He started the shower and stepped in when it quickly reached the right temperature. He stood under the spray letting it beat down on his back as he waited for Steve to join him. 

He had an idea that would help his lover relax and feel like he was making a difference.

"You are a very tempting sight," Steve said once he joined Clint pitching his voice to be heard over the water.

Clint turned around with a smirk. "Then why don't you partake?"

Steve wanted to reach out and pull Clint to him, but hesitated. "Tony..."

"Tony will understand," Clint said as he pulled Steve to him. "Tony will understand that we have to be okay to make sure he's okay," he repeated knowing that Steve knew all this logically, Steve had been the one to put both he and Tony back together many times.

“I know,” Steve sighed. He understood what Clint was telling him, but it went against how he was raised. Bucky would have kicked his ass if he didn't try to help somebody who was hurting, but he couldn't force his help onto Tony or instead of hiding in his office Tony would run to someplace that even he and Clint couldn't find. “It’s just…”

"You want to help Tony, but right now he doesn't want that help. He needs time to gather his broken pieces together, and I need you," Clint said as he drew Steve into a kiss. He moaned when he felt Steve take control of it happy that he and Steve were finally on the same page. He was still upset about what happened to Tony, but he had learned early on in their relationship that he and Tony were more similar in their ways of dealing with personal trauma, so he would focus on keeping Steve on an even keel instead of trying to dig Tony out of his current hiding place before he was ready to come out. 

As Steve's hands roamed over his body, Clint melted more and more into his lover's embrace. He really had missed his lovers and for a brief moment contemplated leaving SHIELD to become an Avenger full time, but then Steve did a trick with his tongue and he stopped thinking about anything but the pleasure building deep in his gut.

Clint broke the kiss to suck in a few deep breaths. Steve was only man who could kiss him dizzy and Clint loved every minute of it.

"What do you want?" Steve asked nipping at the side of Clint’s neck. 

"Fuck me," Clint requested turning around in Steve’s embrace to face the wall. The tiles were cool against his arms and cheek. “Hard.”

Steve grabbed the lube they kept stashed next to Tony's favorite body wash and quickly prepped Clint. He slicked up his aching cock and slid it inside Clint with a quick thrust.

Clint moaned as he was filled. This was exactly what he needed. "Harder," he instructed he needed to feel Steve ramming in and out of him. He needed to feel the pain and the pleasure of being taken so he could forget what he'd done, not that he regretted it because he didn't, but as easy as it came to him, he still didn't like killing.

Steve pulled out and slammed back in setting a brutal pace sensing that Clint needed it, but not certain why.

It didn't take long for him to feel his orgasm building. It had been a long several weeks without his lovers. One more thrust from Steve and a firm grasp on his cock by Steve's calloused hand, Clint came against the shower wall. 

Steve caught Clint as he started to sink downward and held him tight against him. "Better?” Steve questioned. 

"Perfect," Clint purred against Steve's chest. 

Steve pulled out still hard, but he didn't mind because he made Clint feel good. He helped Clint get cleaned up, and wasn't surprised when Clint went down on his knees and swallowed him whole.

Clint's hair had grown since he'd been gone on his mission and Steve ran his hands through it grabbing a hold, keeping Clint in place. When he felt his orgasm coming he pulled out and came all over Clint.

Clint licked his lips with a hum of pleasure before turning to wash the rest of Steve's spunk from his face and neck. He slowly stood and turned off the water. He stepped out of the shower grabbing a towel to dry off waiting for Steve to join him. "Are you trying to punish me for something, Steve?" he asked while wrapping the towel around his waist. "Because I have to tell you I don't see a facial as a punishment."

Steve chuckled as he wrapped his towel around his waist. Pulling Clint back against him, he kissed Clint and whispered against his lips, "I'm not trying to punish you, but I'm wondering what you are trying to punish yourself for?"

"I may have done something that you wouldn't think too highly of," Clint admitted as he looked back on his behavior in the past few hours knowing he had given something away which hadn't been his intention.

"If you mean killing Tony's kidnapper before he hurt another person, then no, I don't think less of you," Steve softly replied. "We all do what we need to do to protect our family. I'm just glad Tony won't have it on his conscience."

Clint nodded, that was one of the reasons he did what he did. The other being pure possessiveness and no one did that to someone he loved without facing his wrath. He knew Phil felt the same way. "Tony doesn't have it in him to kill like that."

"It shouldn't be easy for you either," Steve pointed out.

"It isn't easy, Steve," Clint said quietly. "But I've been trained to do it, just like you were."

Steve nodded. He didn't like bullies, and in fact, he had battled the Red Skull all through Europe for simply hurting the two most important people in his life, Bucky and Dr. Erskine.

Clint pulled back. "What do you say we go take care of our boy now?"

Steve nodded again as he followed Clint into the bedroom to get dressed so they could go take care of Tony. While JARVIS hadn't alerted him to anything where Tony was concerned he was still worried about their lover.

*&*

Tony sat up and rubbed at the tear tracks on his face. He grimaced. He had managed to cry himself to sleep, which was something he hadn't done since he was a boy still seeking his father's approval.

He stood up and stretched grimacing again as he heard his spine pop. He was getting too old for all the shit he was putting his body through. He heard his stomach growl and decided to venture outside of his hidey hole for some food.

Tony came around the corner heading for the kitchen when he saw Steve and Clint. He had no idea that Clint had arrived back.

"Is it done?" Tony demanded to know.

"Is what done?" Steve asked.

"Fairfield. Is it done?" He asked again specifically looking at Clint.

"Yes," Clint answered.

"Did Agent help?"

"What?" Steve demanded obviously not knowing that Phil had helped Clint.

"He got a few licks in," Clint answered looking directly at Tony. "He then went home to take care of Pepper."

"Good."

"Now, do me a favor. Sit down before you fall down."

"I'm not some fragile flower," Tony protested.

"I realize that. But I'm also betting you haven't slept or eaten since you were released from the hospital. I'm also guessing you're drinking entirely too much."

"Has JARVIS been tattling on me again?"

"No sir. I have not!"

"I just know you, Tony."

"Obviously not as well as you think," Tony snarked back. He limped over to the fridge not bothering to hide the pain he was feeling and pulled out a small bottle of chocolate milk and a carton of leftover egg rolls. "Because, I haven’t had anything to drink since you left on your mission."

Clint walked forward to greet Tony. "Stop being an ass," he said as he grasped Tony's shoulder and leaned in to kiss his cheek, making sure he telegraphed every move he made to Tony. "You can't blame either of us for worrying about you, and history has taught us you hide in alcohol, can you forgive us for making an assumption?"

Tony slowly pulled away and settled into the kitchen chair Steve had pulled out for him with a tiny sigh. "There's no booze in the office and I wasn't inclined to leave it to find any," he simply said before biting into an egg roll. "But, I did get some sleep."

Clint watched as Tony polished off the egg rolls and washed them down with the milk. He saw the pain Tony was in and had an idea that might help his lover. "I'm glad you slept. Do you feel like curling up with me? Jasper yanked me off my assignment and I'm exhausted."

Tony looked up at Clint expecting him to be trying too hard like Steve had been but saw the exhaustion Clint had mentioned. He could take care of Clint, doing that took his mind off his own issues. "Yeah..." He said. "I'd suggest a bath for the three of us but I see you've showered."

Clint laughed. "That was to get the dirt off. I could sit in a hot tub with the two of you. And Steve can make sure we don't fall asleep and drown ourselves."

"Always the babysitter," Steve grumbled good naturedly

"No, that's Agent," Tony said making them laugh. 

Clint held out his hand, "Come on, let's let Steve take care of us."

Tony took hold of Clint's hand and let the archer pull him to his feet. He leaned in and whispered, "I know what you're doing."

"You think you know," Clint countered.

"Touché," Tony replied with a soft laugh.

"Is it working?"

"Jury is still out, but let's not keep Steve waiting. You know how much he loves being useful."

"Let him, us, take care of you. You know that I know what you're going through. How it feels."

"Yeah, I know, it’s just..."

"It’s hard to admit."

"Yeah..." Tony said then stopped. "Did Phil really help?"

"Yeah, he warmed Fairfield up good for me and did some creative knife work around his groin, I was quite impressed."

"Ruthless bastard."

"Especially when it comes to people who harm the people he cares deeply for,” Clint said. “Now, quit stalling.”

"Not stalling," Tony muttered. "Moving hurts. Even breathing hurts."

"You want a couple of your painkillers now?" Steve gently asked. He still had the bottle of pills Tony had tossed at him earlier.

"Yeah, I would," Tony replied ducking his head to hide his shame at how he had treated Steve. His lover had only been trying to comfort him.

Steve shook out two pills and handed them to Tony while Clint got a glass of water. 

"I'm sorry," Tony murmured as he took the pills. "I know you were just trying to help."

"You might just have some old fashioned ideas in you after all," Steve commented. At Tony’s raised eyebrow, he continued, "we're men we're supposed to be the strong ones. The ones to take care of everyone else. No one ever taught us how to let ourselves be taken care of."

"You go ahead and think that, Steve," Tony lightly quipped. "I was just being a stubborn jackass."

"Yeah you were but that doesn't mean what I said isn't true too," Steve told him putting a hand on Tony’s back urging him forward. 

Tony tried not to flinch, but he couldn't help himself since it was an instinctive reaction.

Steve dropped his hand with a murmured apology.

Tony turned and caught hold of Steve's hand. "No," he said. "I'm not letting that bastard take anything else from me."

"Good," Clint said as he grabbed Tony's hand and led the three of the back to their bedroom and straight to the bathroom to start the water running in their deep tub. He had cleaned up the broke pieces of mirror after his and Steve’s shower.

"Can we have bubbles?" Tony asked from his perch on the closed toilet.

Clint laughed as he grabbed the bottle of vanilla scented bubble bath. Pouring a healthy dollop into the steam of hot water watching as bubbles started to foam up.

Steve pulled Tony up and pulled his t-shirt over his head dropping it in the laundry basket then reached for Tony's belt.

Clint shed his clothes quickly and stepped into the tub. Holding his arms open for Tony to join him, he wrapped his arms around Tony when he stepped in, kissing him gently as Steve quickly stripped out of his clothes.

Tony sighed into the kiss before breaking it. He allowed Clint to settle him in the tub so that he was sitting between Clint's legs leaning back against his chest. He crooked a finger in Steve's direction as the other man finished undressing. "Come on in, Steve," he invited with a grin. "The water's fine."

Steve stepped into the tub and sat in front of Tony facing him so the genius was between him and Clint. With deliberate movements, both men started to touch Tony, stroking his arms and legs, kissing bits any bits of him they could reach. 

Tony enjoyed the attention, but after awhile it became too much and he ducked under the water to escape.

He could still feel their hands on him as he kept his head under the water, but they had eased off from before. As he felt his lungs start to burn he finally came back up into their arms. 

"Too much?" Clint gently inquired.

"A little bit," Tony admitted brushing his wet hair off his forehead.

Clint kissed his forehead gently then asked, "What do you need from us? What can we do?"

"Can we get out of here and go cuddle in bed?"

"Whatever you want," Steve said standing and pulling Tony up with him. As they stepped out of the tub, Steve grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Tony first before grabbing his own. Clint stepped out behind them and grabbed his own towel, following Steve and Tony as they walked into the bedroom. 

Tony kept the towel on as he crawled into their bed too tired to bother with getting dressed for bed. He felt Steve join him and he curled into the blond's side.

Clint joined them, dumping his towel off the side of the bed as he curled around Tony's back, resting his hand on Steve's chest next to Tony's.

Tony sighed and murmured, "Love you," before falling asleep.

*&*

Phil and Pepper walked into the kitchen to find Clint standing at the stove cooking breakfast. "How's Tony?" They both ask when they saw him standing there.

"Being Tony," Clint answered as he poured Phil a cup of coffee and held an empty cup toward Pepper as if to ask if she wanted one as well. At her nod, he poured her a cup as well before going back to the stove to flip the pancakes. "He's trying though, so that has to count for something."

"It does," Pepper answered then came up next to Clint and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"What was that for?" Clint asked.

"For last night," she answered before going back to sit next to Phil.

Clint grabbed plates and filled two with the pancakes he'd just cooked and set them down in front of Phil and Pepper. Looking at Phil, he commented, "You told her?"

"He did. And while I hate you had to do it, I'm glad you did," Pepper answer pouring syrup over her pancakes and taking a bite.

"Does Tony know?" Phil asked. At Clint's nod, he then asked, "Steve?"

Clint nodded again.

"How did he take it?"

"How did who take what?" Steve asked as he walked into the kitchen with Tony not far behind him.

"Fairfield," Phil replied.

"He received what was due him," Steve remarked as he helped Tony get settled at the table before sitting down next to him.

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "So what's for breakfast? I'm starving."

Clint smiled as he poured more batter into the pan. He was glad to hear that Tony’s was hungry. He exchanged a brief look with Steve, who shared his relief over the return of Tony’s appetite. "Banana pancakes," he answered.

Tony nodded then looked at Pepper. "How are you? Really?"

Pepper reached over and took his hand. "Getting better thanks to Phil. How are you?"

"I'm good," Tony answered letting Pepper hold his hand.

"Truly?" Pepper regarded him with a raised eyebrow quietly noticing the spark of fear in his dark eyes. She had always been able to see past his mask of blasé unconcern.

"I'm good," Tony repeated as he gave Pepper's hand a squeeze before letting go. "Really, I am."

Pepper nodded, unsure whether to believe him or not. Looking toward Steve who gave her a wishy washy sign, she decided to hold her tongue for now. She figured if she could get Tony alone he might open up to her more, but she'd wait until after breakfast to do it.

"So you and Phil?" Tony asked finally calling them on their secret relationship.

"What about it?" Pepper countered suddenly wary. Tony was her best friend, but she would tell him off in a heartbeat if he said anything negative about her relationship with Phil. She deserved to be happy and Phil made her happy.

"You didn't have to hide it from me," Tony quietly said. "I'm happy for you. Phil's a good guy."

"Are you going to pull me aside and give me the shovel talk, Tony?" Phil inquired. He was holding Pepper's other hand under the table in a form of quiet moral support.

Tony barked out a bitter laugh. "After what's happened, I don't think I need to, Phil."

Phil chuckled softly. "No, I suppose not." He gave Pepper's hand another squeeze before setting both hands back on the table.

Clint sat the last of the pancakes on the table and after dropping a quick kiss on Tony's cheek as he passed, he sat down on the other side of Phil.

Tony ate his pancakes and sneaked looks at Pepper. He could tell by the look on her face that the subject of how he was doing wasn't closed. He just wondered how long it would take her to corner him.

Steve caught the furtive glances Tony threw Pepper's way every so often and wondered if Pepper could get Tony to open up and tell them what happened.

When Tony finished he got up and stacked his plate in the sink and walked out. He saw Clint and Steve making to stand and follow but he waved them to stay. They meant well but sometimes being followed around got annoying.

He needed some time by himself. He had forgotten how hard it was to pretend to be better than he felt. Lessons learned after Afghanistan filtered unchecked into his mind and before he knew it he was standing in front of his bar. He knew alcohol wasn't the answer, but he so badly needed to drown the pain and self-loathing.

"It's a little early, don't you think?" Pepper quietly asked as she walked up to stand beside him.

"Soberity isn't what it's cut out to be," he quipped, but turned away from the bar. He walked over to the couch and cautiously settled down on it. He patted the cushion next to him. "Join me?"

Pepper sat down next to him and curled against his side. 

"What would Phil say?"

"Shut up Tony," she said poking him in the ribs. "I want to know how you are really."

"I don't know how I am," he sighed as he slipped an arm around her pulling her closer to him. "I know how I should be, but I don't know if I'll ever get there."

"I know you can, Tony. You just have to believe you can get there and you have to learn to trust that Clint and Steve will be there to help you."

"Everyone always leaves," he muttered.

"No, Tony. Not everyone,” Pepper declared. 

"What makes you think that?" he grumbled. This was an old argument of theirs.

"They won't leave you because they love you."

"They love me for what I can give them."

"Stop being a stubborn bastard and let them back in here," she muttered lightly placing her hand on the arc reactor.

Tony pulled Pepper's hand away since he was wary of anyone touching the arc reactor. "Since when did realistic get confused with stubborn?"

"This is you were talking about," Pepper countered pulling her hand from Tony's grasp.

"Touché, Miss Potts."

"So stop being an ass and let them help you. If they have stuck by you this far. If Clint has killed for you, just maybe they are going to stay no matter how hard you push them away," she told him as she pushed at him. 

"I'm not trying to push them away," Tony declared knowing it was a lie as soon as it left his mouth.

Pepper just shot him a look that basically said do you think I'm stupid, and followed up her look with, "Really Tony? You're actually going to say that to me?" 

"Better I push them away, then have them leave me when they find out how screwed up I am," he admitted as he stood up and walked to the windows so he could hide the fear and self loathing he felt.

"Of course you're screwed up, Tony!" Pepper said in exasperation. "You're human!"

"You don't get it, Pep," he softly said meeting her eyes in the reflection of the window. "There's a monster inside of me trying everyday to get out and if it does it'll make the Hulk look like a two-year old sulking over a broken toy."

"I don't believe you, but if you feel that way maybe you should let that anger out. Allow yourself to be mad for everything that has happened to you. Allow yourself to feel it so it’s out there and then maybe you can finally heal from everything."

Tony laughed and shook his head. "How do you suggest I do that? It's not like I can destroy punching bags like Steve or fill targets full of arrows like Clint."

"I don't know, Tony. Put on the suit and go destroy an island or something. You're the genius, you figure it out, just do something to let go of your anger before it destroys my best friend," she told him, as she walked up to him and laid her head against his back. 

"How did I get to be so lucky to have you in my life?"

Pepper laughed. "Dumb luck maybe, but we were all each other had for so long. Now we have others who love us too."

"Yeah we do. Phil's good for you."

"Steve and Clint are good for you too, when you aren't being too stubborn a jackass to realize it," she told him with a laugh.

Tony turned and pulled her into his arms. "I don't know what I would do without you Virginia Potts."

"Actually memorize your social security number," Pepper gently teased.

"Ha ha. Very funny."

"Are you going to take my advice and let Clint and Steve help you?"

"I have a feeling if I don't you'll convince Jarvis to keep me out of the lab indefinitely," Tony countered.

"It would be for your own good, sir," Jarvis remarked.

Tony rolled his eyes.

"So?"

"I'll be a good boy, Mom."

"Good. Now go talk to your men. I'm going to take Phil home for a nice long cuddle in the tub."

"I really didn't need to know that, Pepper."

Pepper laughed. "Turn about is fair play," she said kissing his cheek and walking away.

*&*

Phil watched Pepper follow Tony from the kitchen. He knew she was determined to help her best friend whether he wanted her help or not.

"Now that Pepper is off Tony wrangling, tell me how things really are between you three?"

"Tony's being Tony. He's denying he needs help," Steve answered voicing some of the frustration he felt.

"He's hurting," Clint added. "And he doesn't know how to stop the hurting."

"He hasn't talked about what happened?"

"He bluntly told me that it wasn't the first time he had been tortured or raped and that I wasn't allowed to feel sorry for him," Steve replied relaying what he had told Clint the night before.

"That's not the whole story," Phil murmured uncertain if he should tell them what Pepper had told him.

"He asked for it, didn't he?" Clint surmised knowing how selfless Tony could be when faced with a loved one in pain. "He asked for it to keep them from further hurting Pepper, didn't he?"

Phil closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was glad that Pepper hadn't had to go through more than what she had and there would always be a part of him grateful for what Tony had done, but what had happened to Tony was not something he'd wish on anyone. "Yes, he did."

"Dammit!" Steve exclaimed slamming a hand down on the table. "Not that I wish Pepper more harm," he quickly added.

"Understood," Phil stated. They were all of a like mind.

"I hate it when I'm right," Clint grumbled. "But, it explains a few things."

"Such as?" Phil inquired. He had seen how tightly wound Tony had been the day Pepper had gotten released from SHIELD medical.

"The broken bathroom mirror," Steve answered. "Plus him lashing out at me when I wouldn't let him hack his way into the lab."

"Are you talking about Tony?" Bruce asked as he walked into the kitchen. 

"Yeah," Clint verified. “I didn’t know you were back from your Doctors Without Borders gig.

“I wanted to surprise Tony,” Bruce explained as he grabbed a plate and silverware before helping himself to the leftover stack of pancakes.

“No pun intended, but you might be what the doctor ordered,” Clint lightly quipped since humor was what he used to release stress.

Phil quirked an eyebrow and Steve softly sighed.

“Maybe not this time,” Bruce said between bites. He was starving since he had forgotten to eat the night before. "Besides the trauma of what happened to him and Pepper, it sounds like he has a lot of anger about it. Probably because of what happened to Pepper and the fact he had no control over it.”

"Are you speaking from experience?" Steve asked. Even though he knew the basics of Bruce's history and how anger played a large role in the creation of the Hulk, but he loathed to ask Bruce the particulars of his life.

"We all know my issues with anger and the Other Guy. The more I suppress my anger, and don't give it an outlet in terms of exercise or whatever, the less control I have over the Other Guy and the more I risk him coming out at unexpected times."

"So you think Tony's in danger of doing something stupid just to regain some control over his life?" Steve softly inquired.

"He took out the group of insurgents that kidnapped him a few weeks after he returned from Afghanistan," Clint supplied. Despite what he had told Steve about Tony not having it in him to torture and kill another human being, he did know that when pushed Tony was capable of killing with his bare hands.

"And I and Natasha can vouch for his recklessness when he was dying from palladium poisoning," Phil contributed.

"Then you need to get him to release his anger somehow, or he will implode and could take people he loves with him unintentionally," Bruce advised.

"Bruce," Pepper said with a warm smile as she entered the kitchen to collect Phil. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday morning," he answered, and then explained when he saw the looks he was getting, "I needed to process the samples and debrief Fury about some irregularities I found in the villages. The Director kept me informed of what was going on the entire time with the promise to evac me if I was needed."

"It's nice to have you home," Pepper said brushing a kiss against his cheek before walking over and wrapping an arm around Phil's shoulders. "Speaking of home, are you ready to go?"

"About time you finally came out about your relationship," Bruce said with a chuckle earning a glare from Phil.

"Yes, I am," he said standing and setting his plate in the sink with the others.

"Awe... You're so cute," Clint teased as he watched Phil give Pepper a kiss before taking her hand and heading for the door. 

"I'll keep that in mind when it comes to your next evaluation," Phil tossed over his shoulder.

"Harsh, Phil. Harsh," Clint retorted still grinning as Pepper and Phil left.

"Playing with fire there, Clint."

"Naa..." Clint said, not in the least bit worried. He was one of the few who'd know about Phil's relationship with Pepper since the beginning.

Steve turned back to Bruce. "So how do you recommend we help Tony?"

"How is he physically?" Bruce asked.

"A little banged up," Steve answered. He had been on the helicarrier when Phil and Natasha had rescued Tony and Pepper having cut his tour of America short. "He signed himself out against Dr. Warner's advice yesterday."

"Typical Tony. He's almost as bad as you Clint," Bruce commented and chuckled when Clint had the good graces to blush. "What about psychological issues?"

"Besides punching the mirror and pushing us away?"

"Yeah."

"He didn't punch the mirror," Steve corrected. "He threw your shaving mug at it."

"Details," Clint grumbled.

"I kind of agree with Clint, that’s a minor detail. It's the way he is expressing his anger that concerns me," Bruce said running his forehead. 

"How do you mean?" 

"It's self destructive, rather than being conducive to healing him."

Clint shrugged. "Tony does have a habit of being self destructive when he's out of control."

"So your answer is to help him channel his anger into a better outlet."

"A session," Clint suggested. "But with him in the dominant role."

Bruce paused and gave the idea some thought. "That could work. I'd recommend safe words firmly in place however; you'd risk him getting out of control."

Steve nodded. He wasn't surprised that Bruce knew about that aspect of their relationship since Tony had a bad habit of over sharing information at times.

"One of us could be the submissive and one the watcher, and that way we can keep Tony from getting out of control," Clint suggested, which would be a harkening back to the early days of their relationship.

Tony paused in the hallway outside of the kitchen and listened to his lovers discuss how to fix him with Bruce. He wanted to be angry about it, but knew deep down they were trying to find ways to help him find some peace.

He plastered a smile on his face and breezed into the kitchen. "Big Guy," he said using one of his pet names for Bruce. "When did you get back? Amazon to wild and woolly for you?"

"Not wild and woolly, but definitely sickly and with something else afoot there that I documented and reported to Director Fury," Bruce said with a shrug. He knew the Avengers would find out about it eventually but he wasn't cleared to tell them much more yet. "How are *you* doing?" 

"Love the implied *you*, you tossed in there," Tony quipped the smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes. "And to answer your question, I'm peachy keen."

"Tony," Steve sighed.

"Now, that breakfast is over," Tony said ignoring Steve's sigh of his name. "Could one of you come with me and "supervise" me in the lab since that is the only way J will let me in."

"I'll come with you," Bruce said standing up. "I have some figures I want to run by you anyway before I go back to the labs at SHIELD later." He put his plate in the sink with the others and followed Tony from the room.

"We won't see them again for a few hours," Clint quietly observed leaning back in his seat with a tired sigh. "It'll give us time to plan out a session."

"Is it wise to do one since everything is still so fresh for him?" Steve asked voicing his misgivings "I don't want to do anymore damage."

"I don't want to either, but I don't think we can wait for him to ask us for a session."

"He might not ask us," Steve pointed out.

"So how do we want to do this?"

"Let me be the sub. Let me say I need to work through my guilt of being off for pleasure when he needed me to be here for him since you were working."

Clint gave him a hard look. "Are you sure you want to do this?”

"No," Steve admitted. The idea of giving up control frightened him since he rarely had been in control since waking up seventy years in the future. "But, we have to do something or he's going to find a way to get to the suit and go off and cause an international incident."

"Good point," Clint agreed. "If you aren't comfortable being the sub, I can do it."

"That would be something he would expect." 

"True, especially since I enjoy it so much more. You signalling a weakness might help him understand it’s okay to be weak once in a while," Clint remarked. 

"So we should get ready to do this tonight."

"You need to relax. Go beat up a few bags, we'll have lunch together and play it low key," Clint said being in the odd position of the planner for once. 

Steve stood, leaned down and brushed a kiss against Clint’s forehead before heading down to the gym.

Clint finished his coffee and then got busy doing the dishes while thinking about the kind of session that would help Tony release some of the anger he was feeling in a constructive way.

*&*

"So what are these figures you want to run by me?" Tony asked when they reached the lab.

"Just wanted you to check my math," Bruce said as he punched in the code.

Tony turned and gave him a knowing look. "Your math seldom needs checked. What's up?" He asked as he followed Bruce in and the doors slide closed behind them.

"I do have some figures I'd like you to look over but I thought maybe if you wanted to talk to someone about suppressed anger..."

"Suppressed anger," Tony murmured. "You didn't have an incident, did you?"

"No, me and the Other Guy have an understanding nowadays," Bruce replied. 

"So you're wondering if I'm suppressing my feelings about what happened to me and Pepper."

"Are you?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know, probably."

Bruce pointed to the sofa he kept in the lab for quick naps while waiting on results. When Tony sat down he took a seat next to his friend and turned so he could face him. "Tell me what you're feeling and I don't mean the physical pain. I mean tell me about how you felt about seeing what was happening to Pepper,” he requested having already read Phil’s preliminary report.

"How did I feel?"

Bruce nodded.

"I wanted to fucking kill them!" Tony growled. "And, if I had had the suit I would have."

"Why didn't you?"

"It was a meeting across town with new investors. Pepper figured we would be alright, so I humored her."

"And what about your security forces, how do you feel about them?" Bruce asked knowing he was going to invoke another response.

"The kid didn't stand a chance," Tony explained. "First day on the job and he's murdered in cold blood to get me to stop fighting and cooperate."  
Bruce nodded.

"His wife just gave birth to their first child, and there is nothing I can do give her back her father," Tony said before dropping his aching head into his hands.

Bruce reached over and laid a hand on Tony's back. There was nothing he could say to ease the pain Tony was feeling for what happened to him or what happened to the young security agent. What he could do is be there for Tony when he finally let go of the feelings he'd built up. And maybe if he could get Tony to let go now, Steve and Clint would have an easier time with him tonight. 

If Tony hadn't been so angry, he would have leaned into Bruce's touch accepting the comfort his friend was giving him. Instead, he shook Bruce's hand off and surged off the couch going over to his workbench. Picking up the nearest object, he threw it as hard as he could across the room desperately needing the sound of something breaking even though it could cause the Hulk to come out and smash.

"Was that supposed to impress me?" Bruce calmly asked. He now had a better idea of Tony's state of mind.

Tony huffed out a laugh of bitter disdain. He had turned to face Bruce while maintaining his white knuckled grip on the edge of the workbench to keep from destroying the whole place. "It didn't even impress me."

"So why did you do it?"

"You of all people should know the answer to that question," Tony retorted knowing the rage boiling inside him would soon need an outlet.

"Yeah, I do know. Anger, frustration, the need to express something you can’t put a finger on. If you want to destroy things, why don't you put on the suit and go blow up things in the Other Guy’s play room or go beat up punching bags with Steve. If you feel you need to be punished, why don't you get Phil or Pepper to lay you over their laps and spank you until you can't feel your ass," Bruce countered leaving Tony a bit speechless. 

Tony shook his head and smirked. "Damn, Bruce," he quipped. "Never took you for the kinky type."

"Don't fall back on the sarcasm, Tony."

"But it suits me so well."

"Tony..." Bruce warned. 

"Fine," Tony said with a pout.

“So?”

"You're right I do feel like I should be punished for what I let happen to Pepper. You're right I do want to scream and break things to release my anger, but neither of those things are Tony Stark."

"Then don't be that Tony Stark."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means leave the public persona behind and be the man who has weaknesses and is able to ask the people he loves and who love him for help getting over a traumatic event."

"That’s rich coming from you,” Tony coolly retorted.

“I do let people help me now, Tony. Natasha helps me. Clint helps me. All in their own ways with different things. But I do turn to my friends to help me now, even you Tony. So now maybe it's time for you to follow my example and let your friends help you."

Tony let go of the workbench and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't think anyone will like that side of me very much."

"He can't be that bad."

"Well, he's less of an asshole."

Bruce softly chuckled. "That could be seen as an improvement."

"Fuck you, Bruce," Tony retorted with no heat.

Bruce laughed. "See an improvement already, but I'll leave anything pertaining to you and fucking to you and your lovers."

"Ha ha..."

"Seriously though, are you going to open up to them?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know if I can." 

"Why don't you start with Pepper? Take lunch to her in her office and really talk to her. Tell her how you feel about what happened to her. It'll help her, it'll help you."

"Anyone ever tell you that you have good ideas from time to time?"

"I have them occasionally," Bruce said with a laugh. 

"Thanks," Tony said with a smile. "I have a lunch to plan."

"Before you go do that, let me run some things by you."

"Oh, yes. I have to check your faulty math," Tony teased feeling better now that he had finally opened up to someone.

"My math is not faulty,” Bruce retorted with a wry grin.

"Sure it isn't," Tony said with a laugh.

*&*

Phil followed Pepper into his apartment, locking and securing the door behind him, before shucking his coat and laying it across the back of a chair. He knew her tells well enough to know she was angry and worried. "Pepper," he started to say, but he had no idea what to say to make her feel better. She was worried about Tony and he didn't blame her, he too was worried about Stark. And she was not just a little angry with Tony for being a stubborn ass, her words, and not letting Steve and Clint take care of him.

"I'm going to go take a bath," she told him stopping him from saying what he was trying to say. She walked into the bedroom to change.

"I'll start your bath," Phil said, walking into the bathroom as he loosened his tie allowing it to hang loosely around his neck. Kneeling down, he turned the taps, adjusting the water until it was the temperature he knew Pepper liked, and then added her favorite bubble bath. When he heard her come in, he stood up. "Your bath awaits, M'lady," he said with a flourish and a bow.

Pepper laughed at him but accepted his help to remove her robe and help her into the tub. She sank into the bubbles with a sigh. She turned to catch the seam of Phil's trousers as he was about to turn and leave. "Join me," she said quietly.

Phil nodded. "Let me go get out of this suit," he told her, leaning down to drop a kiss on the top of her head. He chuckled when she grabbed his tie and pulled him down for a real kiss. He stood up, walked into the bedroom to quickly shed his suit, grimacing at the soap suds on his silk tie. 

Walking back into the bathroom, he knelt down next to the tub running his fingers along her arm to where it disappeared into the bubbles. "You sure?" he questioned. Not wanting to push her into anything she might not be ready for yet.

"Yes, Phil, I'm sure. Now get in here," Pepper said grabbing his hand and giving it a tug.

"Scoot forward," Phil requested as he slid into the tub behind her, pulling her back against his chest once he was fully seated behind her. He was really glad when he remodeled his condo that he'd gone for the extra large tub. 

Pepper grabbed his hands and wrapped them around her waist. "Touch me. I'm not going to let them take this from me. I'm not going to let that bastard keep me from being with you," Pepper told him vehemently. 

"I love you," Phil told her, his hands splayed across her belly. "My brave strong woman."

"I love you," Pepper echoed. 

Phil began to lightly caress her stomach moving his hands up to skim along her ribs down over the tops of her thighs and upward again. "Tell me if you need me to stop," he whispered against her hair before kissing her ear.

"Keep going," she encouraged as he skimmed his fingers along the side of her breasts. 

Phil took her at her word and caressed her breasts, brushing over her nipples causing her to catch her breath. He slowly moved his hands downward, brushing over the top of her thighs before gently brushing the top of the soft curls between her legs. He heard her gasp and felt her body stiffen so he left his hand there, unmoving, and gently rained kisses along her cheek and down her neck when she tipped her head back to rest on his shoulder. 

When he felt her relax under his hands, he gently moved his thumb back and forth where his hand was resting to ease her back into his touch, vowing not to continue any further until she gave him the go ahead. It took her moving his hand down between her legs for him move beyond that gentle caress. But as soon as his hands were between her legs and he could feel how warm and wet she was he slowly caressed her folds before gently pushing a finger inside her, giving her all the time in the world to stop him if she was uncomfortable. Phil ignored his own erection pressing against her back as he gently caressed her folds and moved first one then two fingers in and out of her, listening to the soft catches of breathes and moans she was making.

"More," she said breathlessly and Phil pushed his fingers into her harder until he could feel her tighten around him and her moaning gasp as she came apart in his arms. The last thing he expected her to do was to pull away and turn around kneeling on either side of his legs and wrapping her arms around his neck for a deep kiss before lifting up and settling down on him.

"God," he moaned as he felt himself encased in her hot depths. She rode him until he himself came apart in his arms coming deep inside her.

He held Pepper in his arms until he slipped from her body. "That's not what I expected when I climbed in with you," he said with a breathy chuckle.

"Me either," she admitted softly kissing his neck and cheek. "What do you say we get out and go to bed?"

"I like the sound of that."

Pepper rose up and stood grabbing one of the big bath sheets as she stepped out of the tub, then grabbed one for Phil as he followed. They laughed as they tried to hold on to one another and dry each other off at the same time, finally settling on being half damp as they dropped the towels to soak up the water that splashed out of the tub when they made love. 

Phil led the way into his bedroom and threw back the duvet. Climbing in he held out his arms to Pepper allowing her to crawl into his embrace. Reaching out to flick the lights out, he held her close. He knew there would still be hard days for them to get through but tonight she'd made the first move toward reclaiming what Fairfield took from her, now he just hope that Clint and Steve would have the same luck with Tony.

*&*

After he left Clint in the kitchen, Steve headed to the gym, glad for once he'd thrown on a pair of sweats when they got up instead of actually getting dressed. He looked around the old school gym Tony had built for him and decided to see how many heavy bags he could destroy while he thought about what he was about to do.

Not being in control was something he wasn’t use to. He made a point of being in control, staying in control, helping others to be in control ever since he recovered from being in the ice. But this was for Tony this would help his lover regain the control he needed after having it taken from him so he could do this. Besides, he needed to deal with his own guilt for not being there when Tony had been kidnapped. He was off being selfish and driving around the country when he should have been home, especially since Clint had been off on a mission.

Pounding the bag he waited for it to break and when it didn't he realized he wouldn't have the satisfaction from this bag. It was one of Tony’s new Kevlar mesh bags that wouldn't break. That realization only made him hit it harder trying to disprove Tony's theory of it not breaking.

Natasha stood in the doorway of Steve's gym and silently watched him pound on one of his new punching bags as if knocking the hell out of it would solve all his problems.

"Would you like to spar?" she asked once he stopped to catch his breath.

Steve looked over at Natasha and was temped to say no, he still had a hard time sparing with her because she was a woman, but he knew she’d beat him harder for his attitude. 

Nodding, he grabbed his towel and wiped his face off before drinking a small bottle of water. 

Natasha stretched and warmed up while she waited on Steve. She watched him push his reluctance to spar with her aside and warmed up beside her.

They were evenly matched, but because he was distracted by his inability to help Tony recover he found himself hitting the mat more often than normal. They finally dropped to the mat for good when they couldn’t speak because they were breathing too hard.

"Feel better?" she asked several minutes later once she was able to breathe normally. 

"Somewhat," Steve reluctantly admitted.

"What have they done this time?"

"Nothing really. It's just Tony and the fact he won't admit he needs help dealing with it."

"He'll come around eventually," Natasha observed. "But, I think for you, there is more to it."

"I might be feeling a little guilty because I wasn't here to help rescue him," Steve reluctantly admitted.

Natasha reached over and punched his shoulder. When he looked at her in surprise, she told him, "You are no more responsible for the kidnapping than Clint is, or Coulson is, or the security guard who was killed. It happened. No one is to blame but Fairfield."

"I know that," Steve replied. "I do, but I can't help feeling guilty because I was off hiding from Tony."

"Why were you hiding from Tony?"

"I didn't know how clingy he can get when Clint's gone and he isn't suitably distracted. I felt like I was suffocating, so I made up a bullshit excuse and ran."

"This was the first time since the three of you have been together that Clint was gone for a long period of time isn't it?" 

Steve nodded. "Before I joined them officially I guess I never saw him like that. There was always something that kept him going. I never saw him lying in bed curled around Clint's pillow."

"It's hard to see Tony like that, I know."

"You do?"

"I first met Tony when he signed over control of Stark Industries to Pepper. He was trying to hide the fact that he was dying, so his behavior was a little on the erratic side."

"You mean he was more erratic than he is now?" Steve asked a little astonished at what she'd told him.

"Oh yes," Natasha said with a huff of laughter. "He gave away his modern art collection to the Boy Scouts, told off a US Senator and with Colonel Rhodes' help remodeled his Malibu mansion."

"Umm...wow."

Natasha laughed. "That's one way of putting it."

"I guess I can learn to handle a little clingy if it means a happier, less destructive Tony."

"I hope so, because we all could benefit from a less destructive Tony."

"Yeah," Steve agreed. He grabbed two bottles of water from the mini fridge. He handed one to Natasha and drank the other one in several swallows. "I guess I should go see how Clint and Tony are doing."

"Why don't you go prepare yourself for them," Natasha suggested since she knew the true nature of his relationship with Tony and Clint.

Steve nodded. He turned to leave, but stopped and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

*&*

Clint wandered out onto the penthouse balcony after finishing the dishes needing to clear his head.

The view of Manhattan from the fifty-ninth floor was spectacular and never failed to ground him especially when he had a difficult night. He sighed and sat in the chair Tony had set out for him after finding Clint sitting on the floor dangling his feet over the edge one night.

He didn't know how long he had been there staring off into space when he heard, "Hey, bird brain."

He turned his head and smiled when he saw Tony walking toward him looking a little more like himself.

"So did Bruce do his shrink thing on you?"

"You know he's not that kind of doctor."

"You know what I mean," Clint grumbled good-naturedly.

"Yeah, and he gave me some things to think about."

"Good. Want to share?"

"Suggested that I quit hiding behind my public persona," Tony replied as he settled on the floor in front of Clint's chair resting his back against Clint's legs.

Clint chuckled as he ran his fingers through Tony's dark curls. "Good advice. Are you going to take it?"

"I think I will," Tony answered with a sigh. He loved it when Clint played with his hair because it relaxed him when nothing else could.

"Glad to hear it," Clint said as he continued playing with Tony's hair.

"Speaking of hearing," Tony began.

"Yes?"

"I overheard what you and Steve were discussing with Bruce."

"Does that bother you?"

"No, since I pretty much told Bruce about us from the start. Does Bruce knowing bother you?"

"No, I don't mind the Doc knowing."

Tony turned so he could look up at Clint. "Thanks. Sometimes it helps having someone that isn't part of us to talk to."

"Yeah, it does," Clint said as leaned down to gently kiss Tony.

"Phil?"

"Yeah. Do you mind?"

Tony laughed. "No, I don't mind."

"Wonder who Steve talks to," Clint mused.

"Natasha," Tony answered.

"I can see that."

"Oh?"

"She's good at sparring therapy. She beats you senseless and you can't help but talk to her when your resistance is down."

"I didn't think Steve liked to spar with her?"

"It takes her awhile to wear down his reluctance and force him to stop using the kid gloves, but by then she's wiped the mat with him a few times."

"Wow, color me impressed," Tony murmured. "Maybe I should have JARVIS record it for me."

Clint shook his head. "Despite everything, he's still human, which means he's fallible."

"Our very own Don Quixote."

"Always tilting at windmills and trying to right wrongs."

Tony softly chuckled. He could easily see Steve dressed in medieval garb running around with a lance and taking on windmills thinking they were giants. "We may have to show him _Man of La Mancha_ one night."

"Hmmm," Clint said with a smile. "It's been years since I've seen it. But my question is which one of us is Sancho?" He added before starting to hum, _Impossible Dream_.

"The real question should be which one of us is Dulcinea?"

"I don't know you're more Dulcinea like than I am."

"Are you calling me a downtrodden whore?" Tony asked with mock indignity.

"Well, maybe not downtrodden," Clint laughed.

"I'm insulted," Tony tried to pout which made Clint laugh harder. "Okay, maybe I was a bit of a whore until you tamed my wild ways."

"Oh, there is some wild still left in you," Clint remarked when he could speak again.

"You think?" Tony smirked.

"Just a little."

"Hmmm..."

"What?"

"Do you really want to do a session with me?”

"Are you opposed to the idea?"

Tony shook his head and curled closer to Clint's body. "No. I think I need one, but..."

"It's hard to admit you need one?”

“Yeah.”

"I know." Clint ran his hand down Tony's back. "And..."

"Can we do one tonight?"

"We can if you feel up to it," Clint replied. "We don't want to rush you."

Tony raised his head and looked Clint in the eye. "I meant what I said last night. He doesn't get to take anything else from me."

"Good for you," Clint said dropping a quick kiss on Tony's lips. "Why don't you top tonight. Be in control."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You'll be the sub?"

Clint shook his head. "No. Steve is. I'm watching."

Tony looked up at Clint, surprised. "Really? Steve wants to sub? Why?"

"He has his own issues to work through too and this will be good for both of you."

"He probably thinks I'm mad at him for going off and hiding when I got too clingy," Tony remarked not happy that his neuroses got the better of him.

"He hasn't said that to me," Clint commented as went back to running his fingers through Tony’s hair.

Tony softly sighed.

"Yes?"

"You're gonna put me to sleep if you keep that up."

"Maybe, that's my master plan."

"In that case, I know where there's unmade bed."

"Let's go take a nap then."

Clint helped Tony to his feet and then led him into the penthouse in search of their unmade bed.

*&*

Clint and Tony walk into their bedroom intent on taking a nap and were surprised to find Steve naked and kneeling on Clint’s satin red cushion with his hands clasped behind his back at the foot of the bed. They pause to admire him briefly wondering how long Steve had been kneeling there.

"Steve," Tony said as he walked up to his other lover. All thoughts of taking a nap driven completely from his mind. "Is this really what you want?"

"Yes, sir," Steve quietly replied dipping his head down in submission.

Tony slipped a hand under Steve's chin and raised it. "Look at me," he softly commanded.

Steve raised his eyes.

"Are you certain that you want this?"

"Yes, sir," Steve answered. "Please, sir, I need this."

"Alright," Tony agreed seeing the sincerity in Steve’s eyes. "What's your safe word?”

"Hitler."

"Seriously?" slipped out of Tony’s mouth before he could stop it.

"Yeah. Not like anyone will be saying that while we are having sex."

"Good point," Clint conceded as he settled into the chair next to the bed. "What do you want out of this session, Steve?"

"To be punished."

"Why?" Tony asked even though he had a feeling that he knew the answer.

"Because I left when I should I have been here for you. I didn't know how to handle you with Clint being gone on a mission."

Tony pulled away from Steve before sinking down on the bottom edge of the bed. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Steve broke out of his role and took Tony's hand. "It's not your fault, Tony. I didn't know, but now I do."

"We should have talked about it before I left," Clint said leaning forward to take Tony's other hand in his caressing it. "But, now we know to address any issues before they overwhelm us."

Tony nodded. He knew even agreeing with Clint was a big step for him, especially since he was the king of avoiding anything remotely like admitting to what he was feeling.

"Now, that we are all on the same page," Clint prompted.

Steve returned to his position with his head bowed waiting for further instruction. 

Tony stood and rested his hand on Steve's head. "Clint can you undress me?" he requested as he continued to touch Steve. When Clint had helped him remove his clothing, he watched him return to the chair the observer always sat in when they did a scene similar to this. Tipping Steve's chin up again, he looked at him and asked, "Are you ready for me?"

"Yes, sir," Steve breathed as anticipation made him shiver.

Tony bent down to drop a light kiss on Steve's forehead before standing upright and instructing, "On the bed on your hands and knees."

Steve quickly obeyed.

Tony ghosted his hand along Steve's spine. "So beautiful," he softly said. "So willing to do what I want. Isn't that right, pet?"

"Yes, sir," Steve answered knowing he would be punished if he didn't. "Anything for you, sir."

"Good," Tony purred and then he struck.

Steve whimpered as Tony continued to strike him, one cheek and then the other. Pain and pleasure mixed until he felt like he could come just from the spanking Tony was giving him. "Please, sir."

"Please what, pet?"

"Please, may I have a strap, sir?"

"Are you ready to come, pet?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you may have a strap, pet."

"Thank you, sir."

"Clint, would you please..."

Clint rose from the chair and dug a leather strap out of the top drawer of the night stand. He rested one knee on the bed as he fastened the strap around Steve's cock and balls. He returned to the chair and waited to see what Tony would do next.

Tony caressed Steve's now red ass making sure to lightly run his finger tips over every bit before dipping his fingers downward to slide along the leather strap, tickling Steve's balls. 

Steve bit his lip to keep from giggling and fought his need to move away from the questing fingers.

"You're such a good pet," Tony whispered in his ear. "I wonder how I should reward you."

Steve refrained from taking a page out of Tony’s play book and snarking back. Instead, he dropped to his elbows presenting himself more to Tony.

"You want me to fuck you, pet?"

"Please, sir," Steve requested. He usually was the one to penetrate so it was always a novelty when one of them would fuck him.

Tony circled a finger around Steve's balls before sliding it back toward his opening thinking about how he would prepare him when he encountered a surprise. His finger slid easily into Steve, which meant Steve had taken the time to thoroughly ready himself for their session.

"Someone was a very good boy," Tony purred as he slid another finger in and brushed against Steve’s prostate as he twisted them. 

Steve bit down on his moan and will himself to stay still. He could tell Tony was suddenly in the mood to play by the teasing touch of Tony's mouth on his shoulder as the other man gave him a hickey while still playing with his ass.

"No need to remain quiet, pet," Tony said as he stroked Steve's prostate causing Steve to groan. "In fact, I want to hear you. Every moan, groan, whimper and whine will be music to my ears."

"Jesus, Tony," Clint moaned. He had managed to quietly shed his clothes and now slouched in the chair with his hand fisted around his aching hard cock.

Tony briefly took his eyes off Steve and smiled when he saw the state that Clint was in. "Just an observer, eh?"

"Just because I'm observing you two doesn’t mean I can’t find my own pleasure," Clint told him with a smirk.

"You're a voyeur," Tony commented as he stroked down Steve's ass and watched Clint's cock twitch.

"You're a cocktease," Clint snarked back causing Tony to snicker.

"Takes one to know one," Tony said as he tuned back to Steve and laid a line of kisses down Steve's spine. 

"Please, sir," Steve moaned. "I need..."

Tony grabbed a fistful of Steve's hair and jerked his head up. "I'll tell you what you need when you need it, pet," he commanded fighting to keep the snarl out of his voice. He could feel the beast growling in the back of his mind, and for the first time truly understood what Bruce dealt with on a daily basis.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

“Tony,” Clint warned ready to use his safe word if necessary. “You’re hurting him.”

Tony turned his head and glared at Clint for interrupting, but the look of concern on the archer’s face had him rethinking how he dealt with Steve’s impertinence.

He forced himself to let go of Steve’s hair allowing the other man’s head to drop forward. He settled his hand on the back of Steve’s neck and gave it a gentle squeeze while praising him. “That’s a good pet.”

Clint let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding when Tony let go of Steve's hair and praised the other man. He grabbed a strap and put it on since he needed to remain clear headed because Tony could easily slip from loving dominant to tortured victim seeking revenge.

He resisted the urge to stroke his cock as he watched Tony finish preparing Steve. The sounds Steve made as Tony slid in would have had him coming if not for the leather strap binding his cock and balls. Clint diligently watched as Tony gently slid in and out of Steve making him moan. Clint sat up a little straighter when Tony picked up the pace. He needed to keep a close eye on them now. Steve's noises were still that of pleasure so he wasn't too alarmed, yet. 

Tony could feel his fragile control slip away with every thrust of his cock inside Steve. He knew he should stop, pull out and let Clint take over, but that side of his brain was being overpowered by the side that wanted to hurt, to cause pain.

Clint heard Steve's moans turn to whimpers and watched Tony piston in and out Steve's body. "Clown," he said and saw Tony stop mid stroke. "Tony, pull out and kneel next to Steve," he instructed as he got up and knelt on the bed. Stroking a hand down Steve's back Clint leaned over and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, sir," Steve answered.

"Why didn't you use you safe word?"

"I deserved it."

Tony looked over at Steve and wanted to apologize, but stayed where Clint ordered him his cock a limp piece of flesh dangling between his legs. He was silently grateful that the archer had stopped him in time before real damage could be done. He would never forgive himself if he had hurt Steve the way Fairfield had hurt him.

"You had received your punishment and didn't deserve to be hurt in that fashion," Clint quietly explained with a firm tone. “So why?”

Steve rolled over to look at Clint and then Tony. "Because I left him. Because I wanted to feel what had been done to him so I'd know. Understand."

"You don't ever want to experience that," Tony declared as he slumped to the bed hiding his face in his pillow.

"Tony's right," Clint concurred. "You don't ever want to experience that, because it's an invasion, a humiliation and a loss of control that is very hard to overcome."

"How do you do it? You and Tony have both gone through it, how did you overcome it?"

"Time,” was Clint’s answer.

"Being surrounded by people you trust,” Tony answered after pulling his head out of his pillow.

"But Tony, you aren't allowing us to help you, or you weren't," Steve pointed out. 

Tony ran his hand down Steve's leg. "This time it’s different."

"Because of Pepper?"

"Yes," Tony grimly admitted. "I don't like seeing people getting hurt because of me."

"None of us do," Steve agreed thinking of people that got hurt because of him in the past.

"Right," Tony said as he rolled out of bed. He pulled on his pants and made his way to the door. "Why don't you two get each other off while I go get a drink?"

"Tony," Steve called as Tony walked out. "Clint, do something."

Clint removed the strap from his cock, and slid off the bed, grabbing his sleep pants and followed Tony. 

Tony wandered into the kitchen and was pulling a carton of chocolate ice cream from the freezer when Clint came sliding into the room looking annoyed and debauched at the same time. He bit back a smile and grabbed the rest of stuff he needed to make a milkshake.

"What the fuck, Tony?" Clint growled crossing his arms over his chest to keep from hitting Tony.

Tony shook his head. "I had hoped you would have taken advantage of my absence and got whatever pleasure you could, because what I have to tell you is a real mood killer."

"The real mood killer was watching you walk out of the room proclaiming you needed a drink," Clint countered.

"That's not what I said," Tony quickly retorted.

"You're not denying it."

"It would be fucking stupid to deny that fact, because God alone knows I could use some liquid courage, but do you see any alcohol in this room," Tony argued as he put the finishing touches on his chocolate milkshake.

"Cooking sherry has been known to work in a pinch."

"Yes," Tony snapped knowing all too well what Clint was implying. "But, I'm not either one of our fathers."

"No, you aren't. And I'm sorry I implied you were," Clint apologized coming closer to Tony clearly indicating he was going to touch him.

Tony silently accepted Clint's apology by leaning closer.

"Make enough for all three of us and we can take one to Steve too," Clint suggested seeing that Tony had grabbed his box of strawberry ice cream as well as Steve’s box of French Vanilla.

"No need," Steve said from the doorway. He pulled his bathrobe closed and cinched the tie around his waist.

"You okay?" Tony asked looking Steve over as his hands continued the task of making a milk shake.

"A little sore, but no permanent damage," Steve answered. He pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and cautiously settled into it.

"Good," Tony murmured. He pushed a strawberry milkshake toward Clint.

Clint smiled his thanks before settling onto a stool at the breakfast bar and quietly watched things play out between Steve and Tony.

"I do want to apologize," Steve began.

"It's alright, Steve. I understand your concern," Tony interrupted. "I'm a stubborn, alcoholic son of a bitch, but I'm willing to try and change for you two."

"When did you decide this?" Steve cautiously asked.

"Well, one has a bit of time on one's hands between the time the torture stops and when it begins again," Tony answered as he placed a vanilla milkshake in front of Steve.

"I see," Steve said doing his best to keep the horror he felt out of his voice.

"Tony, you aren't supposed to freak Steve out like that," Clint chided. 

"Why? Everything I said is true."

"When it comes to certain things, he's as vanilla as his shake," Clint quipped hoping to inject some levity into the conversation.

"Hey," Steve protested.

That was all that was needed to set Tony off laughing like a lunatic.

Steve tried to look insulted but the fact Clint had gotten Tony laughing made him happy to be the brunt of the joke.

Tony laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes and was having difficulty catching his breath.

Clint had to bite his lip to keep from joining in.

When Steve chuckled at the look on Clint's face, he gave up and outright laughed, causing Tony to laugh harder and Steve to finally join in.

Tony managed to sober up enough so that he dropped into a chair instead of a pile of limbs on the floor.

Steve stood up and dropped a kiss on Tony's head. "Thanks for the shake. I'm going back to bed, join me," he suggested as he walked out of the kitchen after setting his empty glass in the sink.

Tony exchanged a look with Clint, and then both men quickly finished their shakes placing the empty glasses in the sink next to Steve's before hurrying back to their bedroom to see what Steve was up to. 

They walked into the bedroom to find that Steve had set the light to a dim glow and some soft classical music played in the background. Steve had dropped his robe and was sitting in bed with the sheets pooled around his waist. "Join me."

"What are you up to?" Tony asked suspiciously.

"Absolutely nothing. Tony, you said you wanted to talk, I'm giving you a safe atmosphere in which to do so."

"Yeah, okay," Tony softly sighed. His moment of truth had finally arrived and he silently wondered if he would have lovers after he finished telling them what happened. He sat on the left side of the bed leaning back against the headboard and keeping some distance between him and Steve.

Steve reached out to pull Tony closer and was hurt when the billionaire flinched away with a hastily murmured, "Please, don't."

"Why?"

"Because you remind me of him."

Steve sucked in a breath and looked to Clint for confirmation. When he saw the slight nod he knew that while all he wanted to do was help his lover he was part of the problem and he didn't know what to do to help Tony, but leave. Pushing back the sheet, he started to get out of bed.

Tony surprised them both by reaching out and grabbing hold of Steve's arm. "No," he said. "Stay."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, because I doubt I have it in me to tell this another time."

"If I remind you of him, how can you even stand to be close to me?" Steve asked settling back into place.

"Because I can't let him take you from me."

Steve nodded. "Okay. I'm ready to listen."

"You're roughly the same height and build, but whereas you are determined and caring he was cocky and uncaring," Tony tried to explain.

"What can I do to make you feel safe around me?"

"Do what I do," Clint answered for Tony. "Just telegraph your actions. Don't suddenly reach out for him or touch him from behind. Let him see you. Essentially treat him with kid gloves."

"Fuck you," Tony grumbled, but there was no heat in it.

"Later, lover boy."

"Tony?" Steve questioned reaching out for his lover.

Tony took Steve's hand and allowed himself to be drawn closer. He let out a shaky breath that hadn't realized that he was holding and allowed himself to lean against Steve. It was the first step of many toward recovering what had been taken from him. "Pepper had scheduled a meeting across town with new investors and strongly suggested that I go with her to win them over. I refused, but she pulled me out of the lab because she thought I had been moping around too much. She didn’t even let me grab the briefcase armor because she believed that we would be safe since no one would dare to take me on in my own backyard."

"You had security right?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, but he was new and just a kid really. We were only going across town to another secure facility, so I let Pepper have her way,” Tony explained his voice acquiring a shakiness to it that meant he was close to breaking down again.

Clint had made himself comfortable at the foot of the bed. He reached out and rested his hand on Tony's knee. He gave it a comforting squeeze hoping to ground Tony in the present.

Tony gave Clint a weak smile of thanks before continuing, "He never stood a chance. Fairfield had him shot in the head to stop me from fighting back."

"Son of a bitch," Steve muttered.

Clint and Tony chuckled knowing that their lover was far from the innocent that everyone thought him to be.

"He was a young family man. I feel so bad for his daughter knowing she is going to grow up without her father. He'd just showed me a picture of her. She's only a month old," Tony said quietly allowing them to see how much his security officer’s death hit him and the parallels he was already drawing.

Steve opened his mouth to tell Tony it wasn't his fault, but paused when he remember that Tony would always feel responsible. "It was a dick move," he said instead.

Clint snickered. "We are rubbing off on you."

Steve laughed. "Maybe, just a little."

"Oh, more than a little," Tony lightly quipped.

Clint reached out to rub Steve's leg and chuckled. "I don't think he's complaining about it though."

Tony shook his head and leaned to give Steve a light kiss. "I don't think so either."

Steve would have happily forgone Tony telling them the rest of his story if it meant that they could have sex without setting off anymore mines in Tony's personal minefield.

Clint knew how easy it was for them to get sidetracked, so he prodded Tony gently, "Is there anymore you want to tell us about?"

Tony grimaced, but he knew he had to tell them everything. It was the only way he would be able to fix the damage Fairfield had caused.

"Go on," Clint urged. "When you're ready."

"That would be never, but I need to do this."

"Yeah, you do," Clint agreed.

Tony took a deep breath. "Fairfield put hoods over our heads, dumped us in a car and took us to wherever he held us. He left us sit, tied up in that room." He took a deep breath as hard as it had been to say everything else; the hardest part was yet to come.

"I tried to get loose and find a way to escape, but I got caught and smacked around for my efforts. That's when he separated us and the real fun began."

Both Clint and Steve kept a hand on Tony as he caught his breath.

"They set up a video feed so I could see what they did to her." He took a deep breath and tried to continue but found it hard to describe what he saw.

"They tortured her," Clint prompted. He had read Phil’s report before coming home.

Tony nodded.

"Okay?" Steve asked running his hand down Tony's arm.

"Not really."

"Do you need to stop?"

"No, I need to get through this, but..."

"It's hard," Clint finished for Tony.

Tony nodded. "When they were done beating her, they ripped her clothes off and bent her over a table..." he stopped unable to continue.

"They raped her?"

"Yes," Tony whispered and it sounded as if the word had been ripped from his very heart. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

"Then what?"

"I swore at them. I called them names and begged them to rape me. I did anything I could think of to get them away from Pepper."

"Did they leave her alone right away?"

"No. They didn't. They took her with... With..." He stuttered then finished, "then Fairfield had his way with her then tossed her aside."

"Damn... No wonder Phil was so pissed."

"I wanted to cut his dick off and shove it down his throat," Tony muttered.

"I know," Clint soothed. "He learned that lesson before I killed him."

"Jesus," Steve muttered under his breath.

"Do I want to know what you and Phil did to him?" Tony asked

Clint shook his head.

"Okay," Tony said. "But..."

"I won't lose any sleep over it."

"That's comforting in a scary kind of way."

"We couldn't abide by what he did to you and Pepper."

Tony nodded. "I can't abide by what they did to her either."

"What about what they did to you?" Steve asked wondering how Tony felt about what happened to him.

"I'm angry," Tony replied. "I could have happily killed the bastard with my bare hands, but I'm relieved that wasn't allowed to happen. I'm also determined to not let what happened destroy what I have with you two."

"I know Clint will agree with me. I am very glad to hear that. You are too important to us."

"It's gonna be hard at first, but if you stick with me."

"We aren't going anywhere, Tony."

"We're in this for the long haul."

"I know you are, logically, but..." Tony started to say biting back the insecurity he kept hidden from everyone.

In that moment, Steve wanted to go back to the past and smack Howard for the damage he had done to Tony by pushing him away when Tony needed a father the most.

"You know for as much as we were going to do a scene to help you, why don't we put on some sappy old movie and cuddle," Clint suggested guessing at the change in their mood.

"That sounds good to me," Steve agreed. "Tony?"

Tony nodded and allowed them to arrange him so that he could be cuddled yet still be able to escape if it got to be too much.

*&*

Tony woke to find himself sandwiched between his lovers and for the first time it didn't freak him out. He smiled knowing that he was fortunate to be alive and still have them in his life.

After a bit, he cautiously tried to work himself out of their embrace and get out of bed without waking them. He had the idea of fixing them breakfast in bed.

He had almost made it when Steve caught hold of his arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to fix you and Clint breakfast in bed," Tony answered.

"Don't set the kitchen on fire."

"Contrary to popular belief I do know how to cook," Tony grumbled.

"Okay... If you say so," Clint said groggily. Their jostling in bed having woke him up. 

"I do, asshole," Tony shot back before leaning forward to first kiss Steve and then Clint.

Clint lay back after Tony's kiss and with a wicked grin, snapped his fingers, "Breakfast, Tony."

"Asshole," Tony repeated with a smile as he got up and walked across the room, nude, exaggerating his hip movement.

"Cocktease," Clint tossed back.

Tony rolled his eyes. He leaned down, grabbed a pair of sleep pants from the floor and slipped them on. "So any requests or should I surprise you?"

"Bacon, eggs and toast," Clint answered. 

"I'll have the same," Steve told Tony.

"How do you want them done?"

"Over easy," Steve answered.

"Ditto."

Tony shook his head. "You both are easy," he said as he grabbed a t-shirt to pull on before walking out.

"He's back, isn't he?" Steve asked as he slid closer to Clint and wrapped his arms around him.

"Sounds like it," Clint replied with a note of relief in his voice.

"But, we still take it one day at a time."

"That would be the best idea," Clint agreed. "That way if he relapses we won't be caught off guard."

Steve nodded and then groaned when his stomach growled causing Clint to laugh and quip, “Bottomless pit.”

"Do you think he'll really bring us breakfast in bed or should we go make sure he doesn't catch the kitchen on fire again?" Steve asked ignoring Clint’s teasing. The super soldier serum had increased his appetite almost tenfold, so he was always hungry.

"Well," Clint lazily drawled. "You can go check up on him and see if he'll give you something to tide you over. Me, I'm going to stay here and enjoy the fact that I don't have to be anywhere or do anything for the next few days."

Steve thought about it for a bit and then said, "No, the last time I did that he went and sulked in the lab for two days."

"Yeah, we don't want him to do that so lay back here with me."

"Bruce wouldn't forgive us," Steve murmured as he settled back against the headboard and pulled Clint closer.

Clint laughed. "No, he wouldn't." 

"Who wouldn't what?" Tony asked as he walked into the room carrying a fully laden tray.

"Bruce," Clint simply answered.

"Don't want to know," Tony retorted. He set the tray on Steve's lap.

"Probably not."

Clint took one of the plates and a glass of juice, downing half of it in one shot.

Tony rolled his eyes and snagged a piece of bacon off of Steve's plate. "So do we have plans for today?"

"Do you have plans for us?" Steve countered wondering what Tony was up to.

"Not really."

"Why do I think you have something planned but are afraid to say," Clint said as he took a bite of bacon.

"I might," Tony softly admitted. "But, first I have to get something off my chest."

"Okay," Clint agreed hoping he sounded encouraging as both he and Steve gave Tony their undivided attention.

"I think I'm a little too broken for sex, so even though a session with me as the dominant had been a good idea at the time it blew up in our faces. I never want to hurt either of you like that, so I'm suggesting that we return to the beginning and work our way back to what we had before," Tony rambled on wondering if he was making any sense at all.

Clint reached out and tugged Tony close. "I love you and we can do this anyway you want as long as we have you."

"You're pretty much stuck with me," Tony replied.

"Good," Steve declared. "I can't imagine my life without either of you two in it."

Tony smiled as he settled in their embrace, nibbling off each others plates. 

"So what did you have in mind to do today?"

"I've been cooped up for too long. I want to go out and do stuff with you that normal couples do."

"Since when are we normal?" Clint asked then cried, "Ouch," as Steve whacked him on the back of the head. 

"Museums? Coney Island?" Steve suggested.

"You did ask for that," Tony chuckled as Clint pouted. "Coney Island sounds good."

Clint cheered causing Steve to groan. "Why do I feel like we just left a kid loose in a candy store?"

"Probably did, but its going to be fun to watch," Tony said with a grin.

"I resemble that remark," Clint quipped before bouncing out of bed and heading toward the bathroom.

Steve looked at Tony and shook his head as Clint disappeared. 

"This is going to be fun," Tony said as he jumped up to follow Clint. 

Steve watched Tony go shaking his head again before getting up more sedately and following his lovers. It was a good thing Tony had endless hot water and a shower built to fit ten men.

*&*

Tony, Steve and Clint tumbled out of the elevator and into the penthouse arms overflowing with all the stuffed animals they had won carrying on like a bunch of kids.

"The prodigal children have returned," Natasha remarked rewarding the rambunctious trio with an arched eyebrow.

"Don't burst our bubble, Tasha." Clint retorted with his trademark cheeky grin. "Besides, I won you a stuffy."

"What about me?" Pepper asked.

"I won one for you and Bruce," Tony answered holding out a garishly dressed teddy bear and a miniature Hulk.

"So that makes me chopped liver," Phil said hard pressed to keep a stern look on his face.

"Oh, I won you this, Phil," Steve replied holding out a stuffed version of Captain America.

Phil looked the stuffed Captain America and shook his head blushing slightly, even though he was already thinking of a place to put it in his collection.

"You made Phil blush, Steve," Tony quipped as he handed Pepper and Bruce their prizes. "Only Pepper is supposed to do that."

Pepper squeezed the garishly dressed teddy bear to her chest with a smile before standing up to give Tony a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Tony."

Tony smiled and nodded at her words. Even after all the years of the friendship her approval still meant the world to him.

Bruce took the miniature Hulk with a good-natured sigh.

Clint handed Natasha a stuffed Curious George and was rewarded with a peck on the cheek.

"And what all did you win?" Phil asked seeing the stuffed toys still in their arms.

Clint held up a bright purple rabbit, another teddy bear, a dragon and a chihuahua.

Tony held up a red bear and another Captain America doll, while Steve held up the Iron Man toy and a star spangled bear.

"Did you leave some for the other kids?" Bruce teased.

"If that's your polite way of asking if we cheated then the answer is no," Tony said with a slight pout.

"I'm just that damn good," Clint crowed and side stepped a smack to the head from Steve.

Phil laughed at them. He knew they could take the ribbing they were getting, but it did his heart good to see the three of them 'playing' after what Tony had been through and what it could have done to them. He knew from the indulgent smile that Pepper was feeling it too.

Steve shrugged. "Did we miss anything while we were gone?"

"Only that it's movie night and it's your turn to cook as well," Bruce replied.

"Guess you're cooking," Tony said slapping Steve on the back. "What are you making for dinner?"

"How about pizza?" Steve suggested hoping he could get out cooking. He wasn't in the mood to cook after the day they had. He was tired, but happy.

Tony chuckled. He knew what Steve was trying to play at and didn't mind one bit. "J?"

"Sir?"

"It's pizza night so order the usual."

"Of course, sir."

"Now, that is cheating," Bruce pointed out.

"Bite me, big guy," Tony snarked back.

"No, I think I will leave that up to Clint and Steve. I wouldn't want to get in trouble," Bruce said with a chuckle.

"Get in trouble with whom?" Clint asked eying Bruce.

"You and Steve of course," Bruce said covering what he was really thinking.

"What he really meant to say is that he could get in trouble with me," Natasha said pretty much outing herself and Bruce.

"I knew it!" Tony exclaimed.

"You knew nothing, Mr. Oblivious," Clint retorted.

"Oh and I suppose you knew?" Tony countered.

"No. I didn't, which is how I know you didn't know," Clint retorted wrapping an arm around Tony and kissing him.

"You've got faulty logic," Tony grumbled.

"But, you love me anyway," Clint countered.

"Yeah, I do," Tony admitted and returned Clint's kiss.

"God, you two are disgustingly cute," Natasha teased just as Bruce came up and gave her a kiss. 

"That’s the kettle calling the pot black, Tasha,” Tony retorted co-opting Clint’s shortening of Natasha’s name.

"So, who's picking the movie?" Steve quickly interjected before Natasha could snark back at Tony.

"Pepper," Phil suggested and everyone agreed.

"No mushy chick flicks, Pep," Tony begged.

"Wouldn't do for anyone to see your softer side, now would it?" Pepper lightly quipped knowing Tony didn’t mind watching mushy chick flicks, but he had his manly reputation to protect.

"Yeah, we'll go with that."

Pepper just smiled fondly at him.

"I have a request too," Phil spoke up.

"Yes?"

"No superhero movies."

"But, Phil,” Clint groaned. “That means no X-men.”

"And, no Fantastic Four," Tony threw in with a grin. “I like making fun of other 'genius' heroes."

Phil just smiled at their complaining before throwing them a bone. “I work with you clowns, do you think anyone else can compare?"

"Aww...you love us."

"Some of you more than others," Phil quipped giving Tony a knowing look.

"Phil, you wound me," Tony retorted clasping his chest in pain and since he was still holding stuffed toys it made the gesture appear more comical than dramatic thus causing everybody to crack up.

"Pepper you better pick a movie before Tony turns into more of a drama queen than he already is," Clint said with a grin before ducking away from the arm his lover shot out to whack him with.

"Keep it up, bird brain, and you're sleeping on the couch," Tony muttered.

Clint stuck his tongue out at Tony and was rewarded with a stuffy to the face.

"Behave, Tony," Pepper firmly admonished.

"But he started it!"

"And, I'm ending it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You need to teach me how to do that," Phil commented with a hint of awe in his voice.

"I think you do well enough on your own," Pepper pointed out leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"And, on that note, I'm going to go put up our loot," Tony said taking the stuffed toys from Steve and Clint, and then heading for the bedroom.

"I bet you they will be piled in the center of the bed when we go in there later," Clint said with a grin.

"Probably," Steve agreed.

"So what are we watching?" Natasha asked.

Pepper thought about it for a minute trying to decide what she was going to pick. "Jarvis, with the parameters given pick a movie."

"Princess Bride, Space Balls, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Time Bandits, Ice Age, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Buckaroo Banzai in the Eighth Dimension," Jarvis said referring to one of Tony's more eclectic movie lists.

"Princess Bride is a no go," Clint said. "That's our movie."

Phil smiled remembering when he had found Clint and Tony asleep on the couch one night after watching that movie. "Okay, so any others we should cross off the list?"

"We should save Rocky for later," Bruce answered. "I don't think Steve is ready for a transsexual vampire from Transylvania."

"I don't think anything can prepare you for Tim Curry in drag," Pepper commented with a wry smile.

"Men in Tights," Tony contributed as he rejoined them settling on the couch next to Pepper. “Can’t go wrong with Mel Brooks.”

"Who is making popcorn?" Clint asked as he plopped down next to Tony and settled with his head in Tony's lap.

"I'll make popcorn," Bruce said dragging Natasha with him to the kitchen.

Steve shook his head as he slid under Clint next to Tony. "Jarvis, please let us know when the pizza arrives."

"Certainly, sir."

Phil tucked in next to Pepper and mimicked Clint's position and laid his head in Pepper's lap, so he could feel her long fingers on his head and neck.

Bruce and Natasha rejoined them handing Steve a large bowl of popcorn before settling into the chair next to the couch.

Tony looked down at Clint and Phil. "Comfy?"

"Yes," they chorused.

Everyone chuckled at that.

"Jarvis please start the movie," Tony ordered.

"Of course, sir.

The lights dimmed and the screen flared to life with the opening credits to _Robin Hood: Men in Tights_.

Tony ran his fingers through Clint's hair and looked around as the movie played. He knew how damn lucky he was to have his lovers and these friends.

Steve slipped his arm around Tony's shoulder and leaned in. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered.

"How lucky I am," Tony whispered back before giving Steve a peck on the cheek. "Now, shush and pay attention or you'll miss the good parts."

Steve smiled and leaned back drawing Tony with him content in the knowledge that Tony and Pepper were well on their way to recovering from their tragic ordeal.

*&*

“I told you, Steve,” Clint said yawning as they entered their bedroom.

“Told him what?” Tony asked as he made himself home on their bed amongst the stuffed toys.

“That you would put the toys in the middle of the bed,” Steve answered as he went about getting ready for bed.

“There’s still plenty of room for us.”

“Of course there is, babe,” Clint said humoring Tony as he slid onto the bed and curled around the billionaire.

“You’re humoring me,” Tony grumbled.

“Scoot over,” Steve ordered ignoring Tony’s complaint. “I don’t want to sleep on the toys.”

“Not exciting enough for you?” Clint quipped earning a groan from Steve, and a “shut up and go to sleep,” from Tony.

Steve picked up several of the stuffed toys and set them in the chair next to the bed before settling in the bed behind Tony. “Love you both,” he softly said.

“And I love you both,” Clint replied with a sappy grin. It had been a good day and he hoped that they would have more such days in the future.

“Ditto,” Tony murmured as he tried to get comfortable between his lovers. “Now, can we just go to sleep? You both wore me out today.”

Clint chuckled and brushed a kiss against Tony’s temple. “Sweet dreams, babe.”

Steve gave them both a kiss goodnight. He pulled the covers over them and quietly ordered Jarvis to turn off the lights before allowing himself to fall asleep.

The end


End file.
